WWL Japan 2022

Head of research & analytics Rupert Wilson rupert.wilson@whoswholegal.com

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LEADING

Full-service firm Anderson Mori & Tomotsune continues to prove a strong competitor in the Japanese market. The firm excels in our research with 46 practitioners listed across 22 practice areas.

The firm is exceptionally strong in compe tition law, with nine practitioners listed in this area. These lawyers are recognised for their work across various aspects of competition law, from advising on compliance to litigating claims, acting on cases involving interna tional competition regulations as well as those based in Japan.

Capital markets and M&A and govern ance are also strong practice areas for

the firm, with five practitioners listed in each corresponding chapter. The firm’s strength in capital markets is cemented by comprehen sive international expertise across debt and equity securities offerings, as well as advice on capital market compliance. On the M&A side, practitioners offer a range of special isms, from joint ventures to hostile takeovers.

The firm is home to five thought leaders, highlighted for their excellence in their respective practice areas. Atsushi Yamada excels in litigation before the competition authorities in both domestic and interna tional cases. Etsuko Hara impresses peers with her handling of the competition aspects

MORI HAMADA & MATSUMOTO

Practice Area Breakdown

Total listings in WWL: Japan - 33

of cross-border transactions, including joint ventures and franchise agreements. Hideto Ishida is a seasoned competition lawyer with a wealth of experience in cases brought before the Japan Fair Trade Commission. Yusuke Nakano is a clear leader in the area of competition law, specialising in cases surrounding cartel investigation. In the data arena, Takashi Nakazaki enjoys a fantastic reputation for his expertise in telecommuni cations and digital forensic matters.

Arbitration

Banking

Capital Markets

Competition

Construction & Real Estate

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto has been a fixture in the Japanese legal market for the past two decades, providing high-quality legal advice for clients in a range of corporate practice areas. This year, the firm demonstrates its achievements with 33 practitioners listed across 11 different practice areas.

The firm performs particularly well in the capital markets and M&A and govern ance arenas, with seven practitioners listed in each chapter. The firm’s capital markets practice sees its practitioners bringing together a range of expertise, from block trading to stock repurchases. Where issues involve tender offers or third-party allotment, these practitioners adeptly work alongside

Insurance & Reinsurance

Litigation

M&A and Governance

Private Funds

Project Finance

the firm’s M&A lawyers, who are experienced in handling large, complex transactions for their clients.

The firm also performs strongly in the competition space, with five individuals listed for their outstanding work on high-profile enforcement cases. Other strong suits of the firm include construction and real estate and data, both of which see four practitioners ranking highly, appreciated by peers and clients for their expertise in their respective fields.

The firm hosts two thought leaders and one Global Elite Thought Leader. Kenji Ito ranks among the very elite of practitioners for his expertise in competition matters on

an international level. Hideki Utsunomiya is one of the leading names in the competition market when it comes to regulatory investi gations and transactions. Yusuke Takamiya works on a range of competition issues, from antitrust to cartel matters. Ranking highly for his M&A practice, Tomohiro Tsuchiya is recommended for his expertise across different international jurisdictions. Masahito Saeki tops our rankings for construction and real estate, recognised for his expertise in investment and financing, as well as regula tory transactions.

Arbitration

Banking

Capital

Competition

Construction

Corporate

Intellectual

Real

NAGASHIMA OHNO & TSUNEMATSU

Practice Area Breakdown

Japan -

Sciences

Governance

Funds

Liability Defence

Finance

Insolvency

Leading full-service law firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu excels in the market with an impressive 36 listings across 16 different practice areas, demonstrating the breadth of its expertise.

The firm particularly excels in the capital markets arena, where it sees seven of its outstanding practitioners listed for their strong track record on multibillion-dollar securitisations, stock exchange listings and leveraged finance deals.

Banking and M&A are further areas of strength for the firm, with four individuals

listed in each of our corresponding chapters. They stand out for their notable experience in syndicated and private debt structuring, financing, mergers and regulatory matters.

firm also sees three lawyers listed in our competition and product liability defence chapters, demonstrating their proficiency in contentious and non-contentious matters across a diverse range of sectors.

The firm is home to Kaoru Hattori, a prominent name in the competition sphere thanks to her exceptional knowledge on domestic and international antitrust law,

NISHIMURA & ASAHI

Practice

Arbitration

Business

Capital

Construction

Breakdown

Sciences

Governance

while Shinichi Araki is highly sought after for her guidance on debt structuring and financing matters. Kenichi Fujinawa inspires confidence in clients with his decades of experience in high-value mergers, divest ments and acquisitions. Kenji Utsumi is a trusted advisor among healthcare providers, biomedical innovators and pharmaceutical corporates for his adept handling of regula tory inspections.

Finance

Regional powerhouse Nishimura & Asahi maintains its strong position in the Japanese market with a total of 30 distinguished prac titioners listed across 19 different practice areas.

The firm distinguishes itself with its renowned M&A and governance practice, where five individuals are listed in our corre sponding chapter thanks to their impressive track-record handling commercially critical M&A transactions and shareholder disputes.

Arbitration, competition and intellectual property are further strong suits, with the firm achieving four listings in each chapter thanks to its first-rate advice on the full gamut of contentious and non-contentious matters, ranging from unfair competition to construction disputes.

The firm is home to Global Elite Thought Leaders Lars Markert who regularly repre sents European clients in commercial disputes, as well as Hitomi Iwase who excels in the IP arena and handles all patent-related

matters. Hiroyuki Tezuka routinely repre sents key financial institutions, insurers and media companies in a broad range of corpo rate disputes. Kozo Kawai is well regarded for his competition practice spanning high-value anti-trust issues, unfair trade practices and cartel investigations. On the M&A front, Asa Shinkawa, Stephen Bohrer, and Yo Ota are well versed in domestic and cross-border merger filings and negotiations, shareholder disputes and internal audit exercises.

Anderson Mōri & Tomotsune is a full-service law firm formed by the winning combination of three leading law firms in Japan: Anderson Mōri, one of the largest international firms in Japan which was best known for serving over seas companies doing business in Japan since the early 1950s; Tomotsune & Kimura, particularly well known for its expertise in international finance transactions; and Bingham Sakai Mimura Aizawa, a premier international insolvency/restructuring and crisis-management firm.

Our combined firm provides an extraordinarily powerful value proposi tion. Housing all of these synergistic practices under one roof, and further growing our resources, we are able to serve a multinational client base on inbound, outbound and domestic projects by providing expert, timely and cost-efficient advice across a full range of legal issues, and in the largest, most complex, cross-sector transactions.

We are proud of our long tradition of serving the international busi ness and legal communities, and of our reputation as one of the largest full-service law firms in Japan. Our combined expertise enables us to deliver comprehensive advice on virtually all legal issues that may arise from a corporate transaction, including those related to M&A; finance; capital markets and restructuring/insolvency; and litigation/arbitration. The majority of our lawyers are bilingual and experienced in communicating, drafting and negotiating across borders and around the globe. We welcome the opportunity to work closely with clients and channel our resources towards our goal of achieving more together.

We are headquartered in Tokyo with branch offices in Osaka and Nagoya. Outside Japan, we have offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and London. We also have associated firms in Hong Kong, Jakarta and Singapore.

Practice Areas

Anderson Mōri & Tomotsune is among the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan offering full corporate services. Our flexible operational structure enables us to provide our corporate clients with effective and time-sensitive solutions to legal issues of any kind. We are pleased to serve Japanese companies as well as foreign companies doing business in Japan. In response to the increasingly complex and varied legal needs of our clients, we have grown significantly, augmenting both the breadth and depth of expertise of our practice.

Corporate: corporate and commercial transactions; corporate governance; shareholders’ meetings and relationships with share holders; shareholder activism; corporate disputes; support for start-ups; and establishing a business presence in Japan.

M&A: M&A/business restructuring; joint ventures; business alliances; venture capital; private equity/funds; hostile takeovers; and cross-border M&A.

Government Investigations and Crisis Management: government investigations; corporate criminal defense; internal investigations and organizing third-party committees; anti-bribery regulations; accounting fraud; quality control, product liability and product fraud; information leakage; medical and healthcare regulations; advertising and marketing regulations; global compliance; anti-social forces; media control and public relations.

Capital markets

Finance and financial institutions: banking; financial regulation; deriv atives; asset management and investment funds; structured finance; real estate finance; acquisition finance; project finance; asset finance; PPP/PFI/concession; insurance; fintech; and financial and securities dispute resolution.

Real estate: real estate transactions, investment, finance and dispute resolution; and REITs.

Labour and employment: disputes; unions; dealing with regulators; harassment; severance; corporate restructuring-related matters; working conditions including salary; retirement allowance and pension; employee health and safety (including mental health); executive issues (board members and auditors); non-regular employment; drafting and review of work rules and employment contracts; social insurance and labour insurance; immigration; and compliance.

Intellectual property/life sciences/TMT: IP disputes; IP licensing and transactions; patent prosecution; trademark/design prosecution; copyright and entertainment; healthcare; pharmaceuticals; life science; and IT and telecoms law and regulation.

Competition/Antitrust: International cartels and leniency; merger control; dominance and other unilateral conduct; interplay of IP and competition law; distribution; litigation; and compliance.

Tax: tax planning and structuring; litigation and dispute resolution; and international taxation.

Energy and natural resources

Dispute resolution: resolution of disputes relating to IP, labour and employment, product liability, finance and securities, administrative, franchise, real estate, Companies Act, estates and business succession, consumer matters, insurance, IT, trade secrets, tax and pharmaceuticals; general commercial litigation; international litigation and cross-border disputes; alternative dispute resolution; litigation related to tax, competi tion, and energy and natural resources; civil litigation (including corporate scandal securities matters; and international arbitration.

Restructuring/insolvency and bankruptcy: creditor representations; sponsor/buyer representations; debtor representations; management representations; cross-border restructurings; financial institution insolvencies; court appointments; financial transactions; bankruptcy related litigation; and liquidations.

International trade

International practice: Asia; Australia; the US; the EU; Central and South America; Middle East; Russia; Africa; and other jurisdictions.

Number of attorneys: Approximately 603

Number of partners: 189

Number of offices: 11 (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Jakarta, London)

Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (Mandarin)

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8136

Japan Tel: +81 3 6775 1000 www.amt-law.com

Professional Notice

With more than 150 lawyers, the Tokyo-based City-Yuwa Partners is one of the leading law firms in Japan. City-Yuwa is a full-service law firm and offers legal services in Japanese, English, German and Korean.

Corporate and commercial

City-Yuwa provides a broad range of legal services to promptly and adequately serve the needs of clients on various legal issues pertaining to their businesses by drawing upon the firm’s experience, achieve ments and resources from our practices in addition to the latest legal expertise.

Finance, securities and insurance

City-Yuwa has long represented and advised domestic and international banks, securities firms, insurance companies and other non-banking financial companies in a broad range of transactions in relation to finance, securities and insurance. Finance lawyers at City-Yuwa are active in banking, structured finance, capital markets, asset manage ment, investment trusts, funds, lease transactions, derivatives trans actions, insurance, regulatory, and dispute resolution in financial transactions.

Mergers and acquisitions

City-Yuwa has continued to provide clients with expertise in M&A and is committed to organising our team of attorneys to reflect the specific needs of our clients’ broad range of business activities. We have had the honour of providing our M&A legal services to diverse clients in a broad range of businesses, including listed companies in Japan, foreign investors, private equity funds and other investment funds, domestic and foreign financial advisers, and individual investors. We continue to be proud of giving tailored advice to clients according to their various needs.

Real estate

The scope of our real estate services is the most extensive among law firms in Japan, largely owing to our accumulation of know-how in our role as counsel for Japan’s leading real estate brokers and our intimate knowledge of every issue related to real estate transactions. The real estate practice at City-Yuwa Partners includes sale and lease transactions, real estate finance, J-REITs (listed real estate investment funds) and other real estate funds, and resolution of disputes through litigation and other proceedings.

Bankruptcy and restructuring

City-Yuwa has a broad range of experience in the area of bankruptcy and restructuring, and represents debtors, creditors, sponsors, investors,

suppliers and other business entities in restructuring and bankruptcy matters. Our experience covers a range of various industries, including manufacturing, retailing, construction, real estate, leisure such as golf courses, and hospitality, including hotels.

Litigation

City-Yuwa provides a wide range of dispute resolution services to resolve complicated commercial disputes through litigation, arbi tration, mediation and other forms of ADR and enforcement actions. City-Yuwa has one of the largest teams of litigators in Japan and is involved in the largest civil law dispute in Japanese judicial history.

Intellectual property and information technology

City-Yuwa’s IP law team has substantial experience in a number of large-scale, complex and technologically sophisticated patent litiga tion matters. Our attorneys also regularly assist clients in licensing, technology transfer, corporate patent strategy, evaluation of essential patents for patent pool licensing programmes of standard technology patents.

Labour and employment

City-Yuwa’s lawyers have extensive experience providing domestic and foreign companies with practical and professional advice on various employment law matters by taking into account the characteristics and corporate structure of companies.

Compliance and economic crime

City-Yuwa provides comprehensive legal services in the area of corpo rate compliance and has been involved in many serious scandal inves tigations and cases. To cope with the increased demand, City-Yuwa has recruited six former public prosecutors.

Antitrust and competition

City-Yuwa has dealt with a wide range of cases relating to antitrust and competition issues, domestic and international. One of the competition law Partners used to be an official at the Japan Fair Trade Commission.

Energy

City-Yuwa has vast experience in many types of renewable energy projects, such as PV due diligence, offshore wind parks, feed-in tariff arrangements, transfer of projects, financing and joint development projects involving NEDO.

For more details, please visit our web page: www.city-yuwa.com.

Marunouchi Mitsui Building 2-2-2 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo Japan 100-0005

Tel: +81 3 6212 5572

Fax: +81 3 6212 5700

ARBITRATION

This year, we highlight 29 practitioners who have been chosen for their experience and expertise in a variety of commercial and investment arbitration proceedings.

Most Highly Regarded

Douglas K Freeman

Nishimura & Asahi performs highly in the rankings with four practitioners listed.

Lars Markert excels on the interna tional stage as a top-tier arbitrator who “deserves top marks” for his work advising clients in the automotive and energy industries.

Akihiro Hironaka draws praise from commentators as “a well-regarded” name in arbitration, reputed for his skill in largescale disputes.

Hiroyuki Tezuka is renowned as a leading name in the Japanese arbitration market, described by commentators as “one of the best in town”.

Yutaro Kawabata earns worldwide endorsements as “a rising star” of arbitra tion, regularly advising a range of clients, from pharmaceutical to food companies.

David Gilmore at Herbert Smith Freehills is described as “a very smart and stable” practitioner, with a market-leading prac tice covering international cross-border disputes and fraud investigations.

Douglas Freeman at the Law Offices of Douglas K Freeman receives widespread plaudits as “a rising individual, known for his bilingual fluency and dual US-Japan qualifi cations”, which render him “a rarity” in the arbitration market.

Joaquin Terceño of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer ranks prominently for his practice, receiving praise for his “top-quality advocacy and knowledge of international arbitration”.

Daniel Allen of Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is commended by the international community as “a highly skilled professional of top quality in the Japanese market”.

Tony Andriotis at DLA Piper excels on the national stage, where he is lauded for his strong track record as an arbitrator.

Aoi Inoue of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune receives glowing endorsements as “a rising star” of international arbitration, described as “a diligent and down-to-earth practitioner”.

Yoshimi Ohara from Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is widely commended as “an experienced practitioner” whose skills in arbitration serve clients across a range of international disputes.

Yoko Maeda at City-Yuwa Partners is highly regarded among peers and clients alike, who praise her as “well-known individual” in the Japanese market.

Junichi Tobimatsu at Gaien Partners is a highly skilled and “confident” arbitrator, working for clients in a range of areas, from shareholdings to environmental industries.

James Claxton at Waseda University stands out for his top-tier independent arbitration practice, renowned among market commen tators as “a well-regarded academic” and a skilled practitioner.

Naoki Idei at Kojima Law Offices enjoys a “great reputation” across the region for his dedicated and expert arbitration work.

Law Offices of Douglas K. Freeman Tokyo

David Gilmore

Herbert Smith Freehills GJBJ Tokyo

Lars Markert Nishimura & Asahi Tokyo

Akihiro Hironaka Nishimura & Asahi

Akihiro Hironaka has been a partner in the dispute resolution group at Nishimura & Asahi, the largest law firm in Japan, since 2007. He has extensive experience in handling large-scale and complex disputes in Japan and abroad for clients in the pharmaceutical, automotive, and other industries.

Akihiro has achieved significant results in largescale international arbitrations, including emer gency arbitrator proceedings, in Japan and abroad, under the rules of ICC, SIAC, AAA-ICDR, and JCAA.

Akihiro has handled domestic and cross-border arbitrations arising from M&A transactions, rein surance claims, and disputes involving construction sites in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

For example, Akihiro represented a major Japanese company in an arbitration at JCAA involving a dispute with a partner of a joint venture, involving a claim of at least JPY 17.2 billion, regarding excessive investment in supply equip ment. He also represented a major Japanese company in an arbitration involving claims for payments totaling approximately USD 7.3 billion with respect to a joint venture between Japanese companies to engage in power plant construction projects.

Akihiro also has extensive experience in advising in international arbitration cases involving termination of distribution agreements. A Japanese client advised by Akihiro received an award dismissing a Middle Eastern claimant’s claims based on allegedly wrongful termination of a distribution agreement. A Korean client advised by Akihiro also received an award dismissing a substantial part of a European claimant’s claims in a dispute regarding a contract for supply and purchase of a pharmaceutical product. Akihiro is representing a major Japanese company in an international arbitration case against an opponent in Asia at SIAC involving a post M&A dispute.

Akihiro is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1993) and Harvard Law School (LLM, 2003), and is licensed to practice law in Japan and New York. He served as a Japanese district court judge from 1998 until 2000, and worked at Arnold & Porter (Washington, D.C.) from 2002 until 2003. Akihiro is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), and is a member of the list of arbitrators at arbitration institutes, including HKIAC and JCAA.

He is the author of various books, chapters, and articles in the areas of international arbitration, litigation, product liability, and tax controversies, including a contribution to Civil Procedure in Japan (Juris Publishing; edited by Yasuhei Taniguchi, et al.). He is also a co-author of the International Arbitration and Corporate Strategy (Yuhikaku, in Japanese).

The 2021 edition of WWL says: “[Akihiro Hironaka] enjoys a strong reputation as an ‘excel lent litigator who leads the Japanese pharmaceu tical products market.’’’ The 2020 edition says: “Peers say [Akihiro Hironaka] is ‘extremely stra tegic and an expert at leading a large team,’ adding: ‘There is no one else on his level.’” In 2021, Global Arbitration Review’s GAR 100 (14th Edition) said Akihiro “impressed with his ‘deep understanding of the peculiarities of Japanese companies’ and his ‘flexible mind’.”

In 2022, he was awarded the “Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year” at the ALB Japan Law Awards by Asian Legal Business, and in 2021, he was selected among the “Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business.

Aoi Inoue

Aoi Inoue is a partner and co-head of the International Arbitration practice at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.  He specializes in international arbitration and litigation. He represents clients in a wide range of business disputes, including joint venture, distributorship, licensing, franchising, construction projects, complex financial prod ucts, labor & employment and product liability. He has acted as counsel in a number of international arbitrations under various rules including the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, JCAA and UNCITRAL. He also serves as arbitrator and has been appointed to the panel of arbitrators of the JCAA, KCAB INTERNATIONAL and Japan Sports Arbitration Agency (JSAA). He currently serves as an executive director of the Japan International Dispute Resolution Center (JIDRC) and a director of the Japan Association of Arbitrators (JAA). He has been recognized as a leading arbitration lawyer in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Global Guide), Who’s Who Legal: Japan (National Guide), Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation.

Mr. Inoue also acts for overseas clients seeking to expand their business and operations into Japan through international franchising. Mr. Inoue has been nominated for inclusion in the list of recog nized franchise lawyers of the Who's Who Legal: Franchise.

Mr. Inoue received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo, and holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School. He is admitted to practice in Japan and New York. He worked for Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, a New York law firm as a visiting attorney (2010 to 2011) before he resumed his position at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. He co-authored Law and Practice of International Commercial Arbitration (Maruzen-Yushodo, 2016).

Otemon Tower, 1-1-2 Otemachi Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo, 100-8124

Tel: +81 3 6250 6344

a.hironaka@nishimura.com www.nishimura.com

WWL says: Akihiro Hironaka draws praise from market commentators as “a well-regarded name” in arbitration, reputed for his skill in large-scale disputes.

Otemachi Park Building

1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1122

aoi.inoue@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Aoi Inoue receives glowing endorsements as “a rising star” of interna tional arbitration, described as “a diligent and down-to-earth practitioner”.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

As co-head of the international arbitration prac tice of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, David is the first non-Japanese lawyer to lead an arbitration practice at a Japanese firm. He jointly oversees a large, integrated team operating across the firm’s pan-Asian office network, representing a variety of different nationalities, qualifications & languages. In this role, he is responsible for the firm’s global case portfolio as well as for strategic planning and promotion, team training and development, and knowledge management.

A US national who began his career in US commercial litigation, David had the good fortune to join a burgeoning international arbitration practice in Seoul in 2006 that went on to be listed every year in GAR100 and several times in GAR30 or runner-up – one of the few in the world to reach global promi nence from a regional posture. He has had a leading role in over 50 major arbitrations, often high-value and complex, seated in jurisdictions across Asia, Europe and North America and in a variety of industries such as automotive, construction, online gaming, pharmaceutical/biotech, real estate, ship building and telecommunications, ranging from several million to several billion USD in value. In addition to commercial work, he advises and repre sents clients in investor-state disputes.

Having lived in Asia for nearly two decades, David speaks both Japanese and Korean profi ciently and has acquired various other cross-cul tural skills, perspectives and sensitivities that have been abundantly helpful in his work as both counsel and arbitrator.

He is active as arbitrator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is presently empaneled with the HKIAC, JCAA, KCAB, AIAC and WIPO.

DIRECTORY

Yoshimi Ohara

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu yoshimi_ohara@noandt.com

Mugi Sekido Mori Hamada & Matsumoto mugi.sekido@mhm-global.com

Tsuyoshi Suzuki Momo-o Matsuo & Namba suzuki@mmn-law.gr.jp

Yoshihiro Takatori

Kasumigaseki International Law Office, International Arbitration Chambers ytakatori@kiaal.com

Joaquin Terceño

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer joaquin.terceno@freshfields.com

Hiroyuki Tezuka

Daniel Allen Mori Hamada & Matsumoto daniel.allen@mhm-global.com

Tony Andriotis

DLA Piper Tokyo Partnership tony.andriotis@dlapiper.com

James Claxton

Waseda University jclaxton@claxtonidr.com

Douglas K Freeman Law Offices of Douglas K. Freeman dfreeman@dkfreemanlaw.com

David Gilmore

Herbert Smith Freehills GJBJ david.gilmore@hsf.com

Peter Harris Clifford Chance (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo) peter.harris@cliffordchance.com

Yoshihisa Hayakawa Uryu & Itoga hayakawa@uryuitoga.com

Akihiro Hironaka* Nishimura & Asahi a.hironaka@nishimura.com

Naoki Idei

Kojima Law Offices idei@kojimalaw.jp

Naoki Iguchi Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu naoki_iguchi@noandt.com

Aoi Inoue* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune aoi.inoue@amt-law.com

Yutaro Kawabata Nishimura & Asahi y.kawabata@nishimura.com

Ronnie King Ashurst ronnie.king@ashurst.com

Shiro Kuniya Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners kuniya@ohebashi.com

David MacArthur* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune david.macarthur@amt-law.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1000 david.macarthur@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: David MacArthur excels on the international stage for his “very thorough, articulate and persuasive” work on complex and high-stakes disputes.

Yoko Maeda City-Yuwa Partners yoko.maeda@city-yuwa.com

Lars Markert Nishimura & Asahi l.markert@nishimura.com

Teppei Mogi Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners mogi@ohebashi.com

Junya Naito Momo-o Matsuo & Namba naito@mmn-law.gr.jp

Nishimura & Asahi h.tezuka@nishimura.com

Junichi Tobimatsu Gaien Partners junichi.tobimatsu@gaienpartners.com

Tomoki Yanagisawa TMI Associates

David MacArthur Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

BANKING

Here, we feature 15 excellent lawyers in the Japanese banking market for their outstanding performance in financing, regulatory and fintech work.

Masanori Sato from Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is renowned figure in the market who regularly advises on financial transac tions on behalf of major banks in Japan.

Satoshi Inoue of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is a top-tier practitioner with particular expertise in bankruptcy matters.

Hidetaka Mihara is a well-established figure in the banking space who excels in bond insurance.

At Morrison & Foerster, Akihiro Wani is looked upon with enormous favour for his top-notch advice to blue-chip investment houses on regulatory compliance and IPOs.

Sullivan & Cromwell’s Keiji Hatano is consid ered by peers as “one of the best in town” when it comes to M&A, capital markets and strategic corporate transactions.

Katsu Sengoku with Nishimura & Asahi garners praise for his expert knowledge on securitisation transactions, frequently acting for domestic transport companies.

The “reliable” Izuru Goto from City-Yuwa Partners ranks highly among peers thanks to his outstanding work on trusts, securitisation and crypto deals.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune’s Isao Shindo is an accomplished banking lawyer who regu larly advises domestic and international clients on loan facilities, asset management and structured finance issues.

Aled Davies at Milbank is highlighted for his consistent excellence representing spon sors, creditors and lenders in energy-related financing and acquisition matters.

Isao Shindo

Isao Shindo is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, who has been involved principally in the fields of banking, securities transactions, asset management, insurance, trust and struc tured finance, as well as M&A projects involving financial institutions and insurance companies. Mr. Shindo has long experience representing a large number of Japanese and foreign financial firms with respect to various aspects of their businesses in Japan, including regulatory issues. Mr. Shindo is a pioneer in the area of advising financial insti tutions regarding global multi-currency loan facil ities. Mr. Shindo has also acted as Japan counsel in relation to the merger of major global financial companies.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Aled Davies Milbank LLP adavies@milbank.com

Izuru Goto City-Yuwa Partners izuru.goto@city-yuwa.com

Keiji Hatano Sullivan & Cromwell LLP hatanok@sullcrom.com

Tsuyoshi Imai Ropes & Gray tsuyoshi.imai@ropesgray.com

Satoshi Inoue

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu s_inoue@noandt.com

Yuto Matsumura Mori Hamada & Matsumoto yuto.matsumura@mhm-global.com

Hidetaka Mihara

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hidetaka_mihara@noandt.com

Jiro Mikami

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu jiro_mikami@noandt.com

Gavin Raftery

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) gavin.raftery@bakermckenzie.com

Takashi Saito Nishimura & Asahi t_saito@jurists.co.jp

Masanori Sato Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masanori.sato@mhm-global.com

Katsu Sengoku Nishimura & Asahi k_sengoku@jurists.co.jp

Isao Shindo* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune isao.shindo@amt-law.com

Fumihide Sugimoto Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu fumihide_sugimoto@noandt.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1016 isao.shindo@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Isao Shindo is an accomplished banking lawyer who regularly advises domestic and international clients on loan facilities, asset management and structured finance issues.

Akihiro Wani Morrison & Foerster LLP awani@mofo.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

BUSINESS CRIME DEFENCE & INVESTIGATIONS

This chapter identifies the top six business crime defence lawyers in Japan who have proven the depth and breadth of their experience representing international and domestic companies and individuals in complex white-collar crime and regulatory issues.

At Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Yoshihiro Kai is highlighted as a “tough opponent” when it comes to crisis management and internal investigations.

The “excellent” Tadashi Kunihiro of T Kunihiro & Co Attorneys at Law is lauded as “a specialist in this area” who is highlighted as “one of the best criminal defence lawyers in Japan”.

Takahiro Nonaka with Morrison & Foerster earns acclaim for “his knowledge as a former judge combined with his very prac tical approach” as well as his ability “to explain matters in a straightforward and clear manner”.

Daiske Yoshida possesses long-standing experience advising clients across the full gamut of competition and corruption investigations.

Rin Moriguchi at Momo-o Matsuo & Namba is a seasoned lawyer with in-depth knowledge of complex antitrust matters and a wealth of experience in international investigations.

Nishimura & Asahi’s Takashi Shibuya is recommended for his “responsiveness and commercially focused advice” and is singled out as a leading lawyer with “a strong repu tation in this area”.

Yoshihiro Kai

Yoshihiro Kai is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune with rich experience in the areas of crisis management and corporate compliance and has conducted many internal investigations for companies in white-collar crimes such as antibribery, anti-money laundering and corporate fraud.

Mr Kai worked as a public prosecutor for 17 years and conducted criminal investigations and trials in various criminal cases including whitecollar crimes. He was seconded to government ministries such as the Criminal Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, the Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice, the Financial Services Agency and the Cabinet Legislative Bureau, and had experience in enacting legislation and taking administrative actions.

Mr Kai is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1989) and Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (LLM, 1996). He is admitted to the bar in Japan. He is a member of the Transparency International Japan. He is the author of the Japan chapters of Getting the Deal Through: Anti-Money Laundering, Getting the Deal Through: Anti-Corruption Regulation, Getting the Deal Through: Government Investigations (Law Business Research) and has various other publi cations to his credit.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Yoshihiro Kai* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yoshihiro.kai@amt-law.com

Tadashi Kunihiro T Kunihiro & Co Attorneys at Law t-kunihiro@kunihiro-law.com

Rin Moriguchi

Momo-o Matsuo & Namba moriguchi@mmn-law.gr.jp

Takahiro Nonaka Morrison & Foerster LLP tnonaka@mofo.com

Takashi Shibuya Nishimura & Asahi ta.shibuya@nishimura.com

Daiske Yoshida Morrison & Foerster LLP dyoshida@mofo.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1221 yoshihiro.kai@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Yoshihiro Kai is highlighted as a “tough opponent” when it comes to crisis management and internal investigations.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

CAPITAL MARKETS

This year’s research identifies 33 leading lawyers in the capital markets sphere, selected for their expertise covering an array of IPOs, structured finance transactions and compliance work.

Most Highly Regarded

Peter W Frost

Linklaters Tokyo Tokyo

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu excels with seven listings.

Shinichi Araki is singled out as “a pleasure to work with” thanks to his firstrate handling of financial transactions and compliance investigations.

Masatsura Kadota garners plaudits from market observers who celebrate his eminent counsel on debt and hybrid securities, offer ings and trading regulations.

Atsushi Yamashita is held in high esteem by major lending agencies, sponsors and underwriters for his top-tier corporate finance practice.

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto sees seven prac titioners listed here.

Katsumasa Suzuki is “a senior figure” who frequently works on corporate finance matters, from IPOs to equity and debt securities.

Toshimitsu Nemoto possesses “good communication skills backed by robust legal knowledge and experience” in capital raising, regulatory and property-related matters.

Taro Omoto is highly sought after by public and private contractors, energy refineries and transport operators for his

Takahiro Saito Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP Tokyo

expertise in corporate finance and compli ance issues.

The “brilliant” Peter Frost from Linklaters Tokyo is widely praised for his “specialism in capital markets activities”.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s Takahiro Saito receives recommendations from respond ents who note his stellar counsel offered to issuers, borrowers and equity investors.

Alan Cannon adeptly navigates complex capital markets offerings and regulatory issues.

Jon Gray at Davis Polk & Wardwell is lauded by market sources for his extensive experi ence in multi-jurisdictional debt, equity and restructuring deals.

Christopher Kodama applies his longstanding experience to a variety of crit ical debt, hybrid and equity securities transactions.

Kenji Taneda at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom secures strong endorsements from sources with his far-reaching advisory work in debt and equity offerings spanning the

telecoms, insurance and property sectors.

Ken Kiyota impresses local and foreign clients with his deep understanding of mergers and IPOs, as well as debt and equity.

The “exceptional” Reiko Sakimura of Clifford Chance is a go-to name among domestic and international clients for his expertise in bond, debt and equity offerings.

Keiji Hatano with Sullivan & Cromwell main tains an impressive track record in matters relating to debt and equity markets, M&As and strategic corporate structures.

Izumi Akai is a prominent name in the Japanese market, renowned for his work on high-profile capital markets deals.

Hironori Shibata of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune is recognised as “a leader in the capital markets arena” with a “pragmatic” approach to corporate finance and IPOs.

From Nishimura & Asahi, Kohei Koikawa is a key name in the capital markets arena, well versed in debt and equity offerings, IPOs and a broad range of transactional matters.

Hiroto Ando

Hiroto Ando is a partner with Anderson Mori & Tomotsune in Tokyo. Since joining the firm in 2002, Mr. Ando worked extensively on capital market transactions, representing issuers, investment banks and other financial institutions in connection with debt and equity issuances. Mr. Ando provided advice on various regulatory matters and struc turing of both domestic and cross-border trans actions, including initial public offerings, global offerings, straight and convertible bond offerings and other financing in the international public and private markets. He has in-depth knowledge regarding green, social and sustainability debt and equity offerings.

Mr. Ando also has vast experience advising on a variety of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisition, corporate restructurings, labor and corporate governance.

Mr. Ando is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LL.B., 2001) and Columbia University School of Law (LL.M., 2008). He is admitted to the Bar in both Japan and New York.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune's capital markets team is well known for its experience in handling all aspects of Japanese and Japan-related crossborder capital markets issues, including advice on regulatory matters and the structuring of finan cial instruments. The team's clients include major international and domestic investment banks, funds and other financial intermediaries. The team also advises Japanese and foreign issuers across various industries and jurisdictions.

Kagayaki Funakoshi

Kagayaki Funakoshi is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. He engages in capital markets trans actions including IPOs, equity and debt offerings, rights offerings and third party allotments.

Mr. Funakoshi also represents corporate clients, including start-ups, on mergers and acqui sitions, business integrations, capital and business alliances and other general corporate matters.

Mr. Funakoshi is listed as a leading individual in several publications including Chambers Global and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

Mr. Funakoshi is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LL.B., 2001) and Harvard Law School (LL.M., 2009). He is admitted in Japan and New York. He also has experience working in Shearman & Sterling LLP (New York) and JPMorgan Securities Japan.

Minoru Kobayashi

Minoru Kobayashi is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and has been involved in a wide range of real estate transactions, including sale and purchase of real estate, commercial leasing and real estate developments. Mr. Kobayashi has particular strength in complex real estate finance and real estate funds, and regularly represents lenders, sponsors, asset managers, developers, investors and other key players, including various financial institutions and global real estate funds, dealing with various types of assets including office buildings, residential buildings, commercial facilities, logistics facilities, hotels and healthcare assets.

Mr. Kobayashi's practice also focuses on capital market transactions and has represented foreign issuers and managers in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities in Japan and globally.  With the combination of his experiences in real estate and capital market, he is also highly experienced in handling public and private offerings of units of Japanese REITs (real estate investment trusts). Mr. Kobayashi's practice also focuses on securitization, establishment of investment funds and other structured financing transactions involving numerous asset classes.

In addition to his real estate, capital market and structured finance practice, Mr. Kobayashi also has experience in mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters including corporate restructurings, licensing and international trade.

Mr. Kobayashi is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1995) and the University of Virginia (LLM, 2002). Mr. Kobayashi is admitted to practice law in Japan (1997) and New York (2003).

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: 81-3-6775-1107 hiroto.ando@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hiroto Ando is an accomplished capital markets specialist, recognised by peers for his holistic advice on securities issuances.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: 81-3-6775-1116 kagayaki.funakoshi@amt-law.jp www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Kagayaki Funakoshi is highly esteemed by market commentators for his expertise in equity and debt offerings, IPOs, mergers and acquisitions.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1052 minoru.kobayashi@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Minoru Kobayashi receives widespread recommendations for his top-notch practice in debt and equity offer ings, securitisations and structured finance.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Tomoyuki Oka

Tomoyuki Oka is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and has been engaged in a broad range of domestic and global capital market transactions, as well as transactions relating to REITs (real estate investment trusts). Mr. Oka has extensive experi ence in the energy industry in Japan.

Mr. Oka's practice also focuses on supporting various stages of start-ups, including their pre- and post-IPO financings.

In addition, Mr. Oka's scope of experience also includes mergers and acquisitions, financial regu latory issues and general corporate issues.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune's capital markets team is recognized for its experience in handling all aspects of Japanese and Japan related cross border capital markets issues, including advice in regulatory matters and the structuring of financial instruments. The clients of the team include major domestic and foreign investment banks, funds and other financial intermediaries. The team also advises Japanese and foreign issuers from various industries and countries.

Mr. Oka is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 2004) and University of Chicago (LLM, 2012).  He is admitted to the bar in both Japan and New York.

Hironori Shibata

Hironori Shibata is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, where he leads its capital markets team. He advises investment banks and other financial institutions, as well as issuers of debt and equity securities, on regulatory matters and in domestic and cross-border transactions, including initial public offerings, global offerings, straight and convertible bond issues, and other financings in the international public and private markets.

Mr. Shibata also advises clients on various corporate matters and mergers and acquisition transactions. His projects have included ground breaking capital markets transactions in the Japanese and other Asian markets. His work spans a range of industries, with particular emphasis on financial institutions.

Mr. Shibata is listed as a leading lawyer in several legal industry and other publications, including Chambers Global and Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune's capital markets team is recognized for its experience in handling all aspects of Japanese and Japan related cross border capital markets issues, including advice in regulatory matters and the structuring of financial instruments. The clients of the team include major domestic and foreign investment banks, funds and other financial intermediaries. The team also advises Japanese and foreign issuers from various industries and countries.

Mr. Shibata is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1992) and New York University School of Law (LLM, 1998). He is admitted to the bar in both Japan and New York.

DIRECTORY

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: 81-3-6775-1151 tomoyuki.oka@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Tomoyuki Oka is a trusted adviser among issuers, bookrunners and investment banks for his first-rate handling of financial transactions and regulatory matters.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1039 hironori.shibata@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hironori Shibata is recognised as "a leader in the capital markets arena” with a “pragmatic” approach to corporate finance and IPOs.

Izumi Akai

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP akaii@sullcrom.com

Hiroto Ando* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hiroto.ando@amt-law.com

Shinichi Araki

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu shinichi_araki@noandt.com

Alan G Cannon Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acannon@stblaw.com

Peter W Frost Linklaters Tokyo peter.frost@linklaters.com Yasuhiko Fujitsu

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto yasuhiko.fujitsu@mhm-global.com

Kagayaki Funakoshi* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune kagayaki.funakoshi@amt-law.jp

Jon Gray

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP jon.gray@davispolk.com

Keiji Hatano Sullivan & Cromwell LLP hatanok@sullcrom.com

Masahisa Ikeda

Shearman & Sterling LLP mikeda@shearman.com

Miyuki Ishiguro

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu miyuki_ishiguro@noandt.com

Masatsura Kadota

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu masatsura_kadota@noandt.com

Hikaru Kaieda

TMI Associates

hikaru_kaieda@tmi.gr.jp

Sosuke Kimura

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu sosuke_kimura@noandt.com

Ken Kiyota

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP ken.kiyota@skadden.com

Minoru Kobayashi* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune minoru.kobayashi@amt-law.com

Christopher Kodama

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP christopher.kodama@davispolk.com

Kohei Koikawa

Nishimura & Asahi k_koikawa@jurists.co.jp

Masakazu Kumagai

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masakazu.kumagai@mhm-global.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Hidetaka Mihara

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hidetaka_mihara@noandt.com

Toshimitsu Nemoto

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto toshimitsu.nemoto@mhm-global.com

Tomoyuki Oka* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune tomoyuki.oka@amt-law.com

Taro Omoto Mori Hamada & Matsumoto taro.omoto@mhm-global.com

Masaru Ono Nishimura & Asahi m_ono@jurists.co.jp

Takahiro Saito Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP tsaito@stblaw.com

Reiko Sakimura Clifford Chance reiko.sakimura@cliffordchance.com

Masanori Sato Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masanori.sato@mhm-global.com

Hironori Shibata* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hironori.shibata@amt-law.com

Fumihide Sugimoto Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu fumihide_sugimoto@noandt.com

Katsumasa Suzuki Mori Hamada & Matsumoto katsumasa.suzuki@mhm-global.com

Katsuyuki Tainaka

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto katsuyuki.tainaka@mhm-global.com

Kenji Paul Taneda

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP kenji.taneda@skadden.com

Atsushi Yamashita

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu atsushi_yamashita@noandt.com

COMPETITION

This year’s research sees 47 standout practitioners nominated for their first-rate advice on an array of competition matters, from audits and compliance to M&A transactions.

Most Highly Regarded

Kaoru Hattori

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Tokyo

Yusuke Nakano

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Tokyo

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune achieves nine listings.

Atsushi Yamada is a well-established figure in the competition space and highly sought after by clients in the medical, manu facturing, construction and IT sectors.

Yusuke Nakano is held in high regard for his stellar track record on antitrust, cartel investigations and merger control briefs.

Vassili Moussis secures widespread endorsements for his adept handling of domestic and international merger control and cartel proceedings.

Etsuko Hara is applauded by peers and clients for her deep understanding of abuse of dominance, merger control and related IP matters.

Hideto Ishida is looked upon with enor mous favour by peers who commend his dynamic practice in antitrust and competi tion law.

Shigeyoshi Ezaki enjoys a “strong repu tation” in the Japanese antitrust law market thanks to his encyclopaedic knowledge of competition law.

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto sees five individ uals listed here.

Kenji Ito distinguishes himself as a pre-eminent competition lawyer, highlighted for his skilful handling of delicate antitrust matters.

Hideki Utsunomiya is a market-leading name in the competition arena, particularly when it comes to merger filings.

Kenji Ito

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Tokyo

Hideki Utsunomiya

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Tokyo

Yusuke Takamiya is celebrated as “a talented competition lawyer” who excels in merger control, cartel and unfair trade matters.

Kana Manabe draws praise for her top-notch practice which sees her act for clients in domestic and cross-border compe tition disputes.

Aruto Kagami maintains an outstanding practice encompassing cartel claims, enforcements and unfair trade matters.

Nishimura & Asahi is home to Kozo Kawai, a “well-respected senior statesman” in compe tition and trade regulation. One respondent adds that he is “the best” in the market.

Ryutaro Nakayama is revered for his extensive experience in corporate and competition law.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu’s Kaoru Hattori is singled out by sources for her adept handling of regulatory investigations and contentious matters in the competition arena.

Yusuke Kaeriyama is singled out as “a brilliant lawyer” who is regularly engaged in tech-related merger filings, cartel cases and JFTC inquiries.

Tsuyoshi Ikeda at Ikeda & Someya main tains a first-rate competition practice and impresses peers with his “strong entrepre neurial sense”.

Kozo Kawai

Nishimura & Asahi Tokyo

Tetsuya Nagasawa with Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners is “a senior figure” in the market whose practice spans abuse of dominance and unfair trade practice.

Kimitoshi Yabuki of Yabuki Law Offices is “a distinguished figure” when it comes to antitrust matters and singled out by market sources for his “international exposure”.

At Hibiya Sogo Law Office, Toshiaki Tada is recognised as “a formidably knowledgeable practitioner” who “sits among the hall of fame” in Japan thanks to his “thoughtful and practical advice”.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Kaori Yamada inspires confidence in clients with her “strategic and commercial advice” on cross-border merger matters.

Setsuko Yufu with Atsumi & Sakai is consid ered “a senior statesperson of Japanese law” and is highly recommended as “an EU law specialist”.

Akira Inoue of Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) is “well respected in the antitrust sphere” where he regularly advises on competition policy and international cartels.

Shigeyoshi Ezaki

Shigeyoshi Ezaki is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune with a general corporate practice, which includes advising and assisting Japanese and foreign clients with respect to Japanese competition law, trade regulation, intellectual prop erty law and corporate law. He represents many companies involved in cross-border mergers and acquisitions as well as joint venture arrangements. He also assists many clients in regulatory inves tigations with respect to price fixing and similar serious alleged violations before the Japan Fair Trade Commission as well as overseas regulatory authorities such as the US Department of Justice and the European Commission. He also represents many companies and assists them with distribution agreements and licence agreements.

Mr Ezaki is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1992) and Columbia University School of Law (LLM, 1998). He is admitted to the bar in both Japan and New York. He co-authored “Merger Control in Japan” (The Asia Pacific Antitrust Review 2010) and “Chambers Global Practice Guides on Cartels 2022 - Law & Practice” (Chambers and Partners 2022).

Etsuko Hara

Etsuko Hara is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and also teaching at the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics.  Her practice focuses on the areas of antitrust law and corporate transactions.

Ms. Hara has extensive experience advising on antitrust cases as well as inbound and outbound transactions, including cross-border distribution, licence and franchise agreements and other corpo rate transactions. She regularly handles multi-ju risdictional merger filings and advises on various antitrust issues with regard to the transactions, including complex contract arrangements such as alliances between competitors, and vertical anti trust issues.

Ms. Hara also advises on international and domestic cartel cases, and has assisted clients on cartel investigations by the JFTC and foreign competition authorities, leniency applications and private actions.

Ms. Hara is a graduate of Columbia Law School (LLM) and the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1998), and is admitted as a lawyer in Japan and New York. She recently co-authored Japanese Anti-monopoly Act - Annotated (Edition 2）(KOUBUNDOU Publishers Inc., 2022) and Introduction to Japanese Business Law & Practice Fifth Edition (2021).

Dr. Inoue is the Antitrust & Competition Law partner at Baker McKenzie's Tokyo office, and has been handling cross-border antitrust cases for more than 20 years. He is highly respected for his knowledge of antitrust and competition law, giving presentations at no less than 277 events and having authored 10 books and more than 106 articles on the subject.

Dr. Inoue has been serving Japanese compa nies as the lead defense counsel in an interna tional cartel case since lysine cartel case. Most recently, he was successful as the lead defense counsel representing Japanese company in a plea bargaining with the U.S. DOJ in an international cartel case (U.S. v. Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd, Case: 1:15-cr-00098) and secured the official criminal fine reduction due to introduction of robust compliance program (i.e. compliance credit) for only the second time in the history of antitrust practice and won a 40% fine reduction.

Dr. Inoue has been recognized as a “Leading Individual” by Chambers Asia (2010-2021), Legal 500 (2019-2021), Who’s Who Legal (2016-2021), Asia Business Law Journal List of Japan's Top 100 Lawyers (2020) and Best Lawyers in Japan (20172021). He is recognized at the lawyer ranking published by Nikkei News Paper (2018).

Dr. Inoue was the graduate of Chuo University (LLB, academic scholar) (1996), Chuo University Graduate School (LLM, academic scholar) (1998), the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (1998-2000), University of Virginia (LLM, with distinctions) (2005), Chuo University (Ph.D.) (2007). He was admitted to prac tice in Japan (2000) and New York States (2006).

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1040 shigeyoshi.ezaki@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Shigeyoshi Ezaki enjoys a “strong reputation” in the Japanese anti trust law market thanks to his encyclopaedic knowledge of competition law.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1088 etsuko.hara@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Etsuko Hara is applauded by peers and clients for her deep understanding of abuse of dominance, merger control and related IP matters.

Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower 28th Floor 1-9-10 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo, 106-0032

Tel: +81 3 5157 2700

akira.inoue@bakermckenzie.com www.bakermckenzie.com

WWL says: Akira Inoue is “well respected in the antitrust sphere” where he regularly advises on competition policy and interna tional cartels.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Akira Inoue Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise)

Hideto Ishida

Hideto Ishida is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and counsels a variety of domestic and foreign multinational companies in Japanese anti-trust and competition matters, including those relating to cartels, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, advertisements, distribution agree ments, license agreements and other cooperation agreements. He also represents many companies involved in investigations before the Japan Fair Trade Commission and other foreign competition authorities for price cartels, bid rigging and similar serious alleged violations such as facsimile papers, vitamin, graphite electrode, GIS, marine hose, air fare, LCD, Auto parts, Maritime, Libor/Tibor, FX and certain Bond international cartels.

He served for seven years as the first attorney appointed as a special investigator with the Japan Fair Trade Commission and thus has a keen sense of the actual and practical application of antitrust, distribution, advertisement and sub-contract regu lations to companies doing business in Japan.

Mr. Ishida is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1976) and Harvard Law School (LLM, 1989). He worked for US law firms (1989 - 1991). He is admitted to the Bar in both Japan and New York. He was a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Tokyo University (from 1995 to 1999) and a lecturer and professor at the Faculty of Law, Hitotsubashi University and Hitotsubashi Law School (from 2003 to 2011).

He has written many Japanese and English books and articles. Recently, he co-authored and published “Japan: Merger Control” (The Asia Pacific Antitrust Review), “The Cartels and Leniency Review” and “Private Antitrust Litigation” (Law Business Research Ltd.).

Hiroki Kodate

Hiroki Kodate is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and is principally involved in the field of corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on M&A and corporate governance, particularly cross-border M&A transactions and joint ventures where he represents both Japanese and non-Jap anese clients, a wide range of issues concerning corporate governance on Japanese listed compa nies. In addition to his experience at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he has served as an attorney at the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice of Japan (2002 to 2005), where he was engaged in the modernisation of Japanese corporate law. He also worked at Slaughter and May in London from 2000 to 2001.

Mr. Kodate served as a member of the Working Group for the Study Council for Promoting Translation of Japanese Laws and Regulations into Foreign Languages at the Cabinet Secretariat (2005 to 2006).

Mr. Kodate received his LLM from Harvard Law School (2000) and his LLB from the University of Tokyo (1994).

He is a member of both the Daini Tokyo Bar Association in Japan (since 1996) and the New York Bar (since 2001) and speaks Japanese and English fluently.

Vassili Moussis

Vassili Moussis is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune who is English-qualified and a regis tered foreign lawyer with the Japanese Bar. Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune in Tokyo, he practised EU, UK and international competition law in Brussels and London for close to 10 years at leading UK and US firms, mainly advising on merger control and behavioural matters as well as cross-border antitrust investigations.

At Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, his prac tice focuses on EU, Japanese and international competition law with a particular emphasis on merger control and international cartel matters. Mr. Moussis has been involved in a large number of high-profile merger cases, recently in the digital sector, before the European Commission and the Japan Fair Trade Commission. Mr. Moussis also has extensive experience advising on cartel investi gations in the EU and Japan as well as coordinating defence strategies across major jurisdictions around the world. He is increasingly involved in litigious matters, including follow-on civil litigation before US courts.

He studied law in Belgium (Licence en droit) and the UK, and holds an LLM as well as a PhD from University College London on comparative EU and Japanese competition law. He also worked for a year at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition as an administrative trainee where he was mainly involved in policy and international issues including cooperation with the Japan Fair Trade Commission.

He is listed as a leading individual for compe tition law in Japan by various directories and rank ings including the 2022 editions of Chambers and Legal 500 for the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Moussis is fluent in English, Greek, French and Japanese, and has good Italian and Spanish.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1019

hideto.ishida@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hideto Ishida is looked upon with enormous favour by peers who commend his dynamic practice in antitrust and competi tion law.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1047 hiroki.kodate@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hiroki Kodate is renowned for his competition law expertise in high-profile, cross-border mergers.

Otemachi Park Building

1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1393

vassili.moussis@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Vassili Moussis secures wide spread endorsements for his adept handling of domestic and international merger control and cartel proceedings.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Yusuke Nakano

Yusuke Nakano is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, with broad experience in the areas of antitrust, mergers and acquisitions, business dispute resolution and intellectual property.

He has represented a variety of companies in relation to administrative investigations and hearing procedures conducted by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), as well as in criminal and civil antitrust cases. As the JFTC's enforcement focuses on cartel matters, so does his domestic practice. In a certain private monopolisation case, his maximum efforts resulted in the JFTC's termi nation of investigation without any cease-and-de sist order. He also has extensive knowledge and experience in merger control and was involved in the first foreign-to-foreign merger case against which the JFTC launched an investigation.

On an international scale, Mr. Nakano has assisted many Japanese companies and individuals involved in antitrust cases in foreign jurisdictions, in close cooperation with local counsel in those juris dictions. As a result of this, Mr. Nakano has gained substantial experience in the actual enforcement of competition law by foreign authorities, such as the US DOJ and the European Commission. He has also assisted a major Japanese consumer electronics maker in obtaining clearance in various jurisdic tions, as a leader of the global counsel team.

Mr. Nakano is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1994) and Harvard Law School (LLM, 2001). He is admitted to the Bar in both Japan and New York, and was a lecturer at Hitotsubashi University Law School (from 2009 to 2013). He is a co-author of Leniency Regimes (part of the European Lawyer Reference series) (fifth edition, 2015) and the Japanese chapters of various other publications.

Takeshi Suzuki is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. He specialises in competition law advice including Japanese and multijurisdictional merger filings, domestic and international cartel defence, and distribution matters.

Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Takeshi was engaged in a number of M&A trans actions and competition matters including advice on cartel defence, merger control, joint venture, unfair trade practices at a leading UK law firm and has also gained experience of EU competition law practice while working in Brussels. Takeshi also worked for approximately two years at the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC).  During his time at the JFTC, Takeshi was involved in the reviewing of a large amount of merger filings as a chief case handler.

With this background, Takeshi provides domestic and international clients with practical advice in complex merger cases, by which his clients can have clear views on prospects of clear ance and filing schedule at the early stage of M&A transaction. Takeshi has extensive experience in the steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, aviation, electric devices, semiconduc tors, automobile, energy, media and entertainment, consumer goods, logistics, finance and real estate industries.

Takeshi has published on Japanese merger control issues and is a contributor to multiple competition law publications such as Information Exchange of Global Competition Review and The Asia-Pacific Antitrust Review of Global Competition Review.

He speaks Japanese and English. He gradu ated from the University of Kyoto in 2006.

Yoshiharu Usuki is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune with broad experience in the areas of antitrust/competition law.  His clients range from various industries and across different life cycles of a business and he specializes advising on complex cartel investigations, bid rigging and other serious competition law allegations, global transactions, and dominance regulations issues.

Yoshiharu is well known in representing Japanese companies involved in global anti trust investigations with the Japan Fair Trade Commission. His defense strategies not only incor porates approaches to the home jurisdiction, but also to regulatory agencies in the United States, Europe, Asia (Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore) as well as other agencies such as in India, South Africa, Brazil, and Israel.  He has a wealth of experi ence in responding to global antitrust investigations in coordination with local counsel as well as a deep knowledge in working on follow-on civil litigations.

He also specializes in handling cross border transactions, and has been called to work on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, distribution agreements, and license agree ments.  Yoshiharu recently worked on major merger filings in Japan on matters ranging from overseas semiconductor businesses to pharmaceutical companies.

Yoshiharu is recognized for his expertise in the field of antitrust and competition law, being awarded the Competition Future Leaders – Partners, annually from 2016 to 2022, as well as ‘The Best Lawyers in Japan for your work in: Antitrust / Competition Law’ in 2021- 2023.

In addition to his professional experience at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he worked for the London law firm of Fieldfisher LLP, as a foreign lawyer (2014 to 2015).

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1049 yusuke.nakano@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Yusuke Nakano is held in high regard for his stellar track record on anti trust, cartel investigations and merger control briefs.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1288 takeshi.suzuki@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Takeshi Suzuki brings a “prac tical and responsive” approach to his prac tice spanning the full spectrum of antitrust matters.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1168 yoshiharu.usuki@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Yoshiharu Usuki impresses market commentators with his vast expe rience in competition and antitrust law, particularly in domestic and international cartel investigations.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Takeshi Suzuki Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Yoshiharu Usuki

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Atsushi Yamada is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune focusing on competition/antitrust law. His practice covers all aspects of competition/ antitrust law assisting clients in investigations by competition authorities (cartels/dominance/ unfair trade practices), representation in courts and tribunals challenging decisions made by competition authorities, follow-on civil litigation, and merger filings. He also provides advice relating to structuring new businesses and compliance programmes. His clients include both multinational and Japanese companies in various industries, such as information technology, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, construction, transportation, finan cial institutions and trading houses.

Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he has worked at the Tokyo office of a US law firm and a local Japanese firm after serving as a judge at the Tokyo District Court as well as other courts. With such background, Mr. Yamada has extensive experience in litigation and general corporate matters. He also serves as an adjunct lecturer for antitrust law at Hitotsubashi University (School of Law).

He is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1994) and Cornell Law School (LLM, 2003), and is admitted to the Bars of Japan (2005) and New York (2013).

His recent publications include co-authoring the "Japan: Cartels" chapter in the GCR AsiaPacific Antitrust Review, and the Japan chapter of "Getting The Deal Through: Dominance." He also has spoken at various international conferences/ seminars including the ABA, IBA and ICN.

Setsuko Yufu Atsumi & Sakai

Setsuko Yufu is a senior partner at Atsumi & Sakai and is admitted to the bar in Japan. She is a member of the managing committee of the firm.

Setsuko headed for 13 years the firm’s anti trust/competition team, advising on international and domestic antitrust/competition matters/cases.

Since 2016, she has served as a member of the antitrust policy council of the Japan Fair Trade Commission. She has also served as a board member of the Japan Competition Law Forum.

Setsuko was named Woman Lawyer of the Year at the 2017 ALB Japan Law Awards, and was inducted into the 2022 Legal 500 Hall of Fame as a leading individual in antitrust/ competition law. She was ranked in Thought Leaders Competition 2022 (Japan) by WWL and awarded the honour of Lawyer of the Year Japan in Client Service Excellence (2020) in AsiaLaw. She was ranked as a leading antitrust/ competition lawyer by The Best Lawyers (2023), and Chambers Asia-Pacific (2022).  She is also highly recommended in the GCR 100 (2021).

Setsuko obtained an LLB from Waseda University, Tokyo. She was the first Japanese student to study EU law at the University of Amsterdam’s Europa Instituut.

Setsuko also is well known for her extensive knowledge of EU competition law, and until 2020 had acted as a board member of the EU Studies Association in Japan. She taught EU law at Keio University Law School and other graduate schools. She regularly publishes articles and books on the subject.

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Junya Ae

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) junya.ae@bakermckenzie.com

Kei Amemiya Shimada Hamba & Osajima amemiya-k@shimada-law.jp

Shigeyoshi Ezaki* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune shigeyoshi.ezaki@amt-law.com

Kojiro Fujii Nishimura & Asahi k_fujii@jurists.co.jp

Kurt Haegeman

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) kurt.haegeman@bakermckenzie.com

Saori Hanada Atsumi & Sakai saori.hanada@aplaw.jp

Koichiro Hanamoto TMI Associates koichiro_hanamoto@tmi.gr.jp Etsuko Hara* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune etsuko.hara@amt-law.com

Kaoru Hattori

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu kaoru_hattori@noandt.com

Yohsuke Higuchi TMI Associates yhiguchi@tmi.gr.jp

Kentaro Hirayama Hirayama Law Offices kentaro@hirayamalaw.com

Tsuyoshi Ikeda Ikeda & Someya tsuyoshi.ikeda@ikedasomeya.com

Akira Inoue*

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) akira.inoue@bakermckenzie.com

Hideto Ishida* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hideto.ishida@amt-law.com

Tadashi Ishikawa

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1134 atsushi.yamada@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Atsushi Yamada is a well-estab lished figure in the competition space and highly sought after by clients in the medical, manufacturing, construction and IT sectors.

Fukoku Seimei Building 2-2-2, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-0011

Tel: +81 3 5501 1165 setsuko.yufu@aplaw.jp www.aplaw.jp/en

WWL says: Setsuko Yufu is considered “a senior statesperson of Japanese law” and is highly recommended as "an EU law specialist".

Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners ishikawa@ohebashi.com

Kenji Ito

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto kenji.ito@mhm-global.com

Yusuke Kaeriyama

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu yusuke_kaeriyama@noandt.com

Aruto Kagami

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto aruto.kagami@mhm-global.com

Kozo Kawai

Nishimura & Asahi

k_kawai@jurists.co.jp

Atsushi Yamada

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Ryuta Kawai

Hibiya Sogo Law Offices kawai@hslo.gr.jp

Hisaya Kimura Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hisaya_kimura@noandt.com

Hiroki Kodate* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hiroki.kodate@amt-law.com

Kana Manabe Mori Hamada & Matsumoto kana.manabe@mhm-global.com

Hiromitsu Miyakawa Jones Day hmiyakawa@jonesday.com

Vassili Moussis* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune vassili.moussis@amt-law.com

Nobuaki Mukai Momo-o Matsuo & Namba mukai@mmn-law.gr.jp

Tetsuya Nagasawa Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners nagasawa@ohebashi.com

Yusuke Nakano* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yusuke.nakano@amt-law.com

Ryutaro Nakayama Nishimura & Asahi r_nakayama@jurists.co.jp

Kagenori Sako Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners sako@ohebashi.com

Shiro Shida Shiro Shida Law Offices Madoka Shimada Nishimura & Asahi m_shimada@jurists.co.jp

Takeshi Suzuki* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune takeshi.suzuki@amt-law.com

Toshiaki Tada Hibiya Sogo Law Office tada@hslo.gr.jp

Yusuke Takamiya Mori Hamada & Matsumoto yusuke.takamiya@mhm-global.com

Harumichi Uchida TMI Associates harumichi_uchida@tmi.gr.jp

Koya Uemura Hibiya Sogo Law Offices uemura@hslo.gr.jp

Akinori Uesugi Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer akinori.uesugi@freshfields.com Yoshiharu Usuki* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yoshiharu.usuki@amt-law.com Hideki Utsunomiya Mori Hamada & Matsumoto hideki.utsunomiya@mhm-global.com

Kimitoshi Yabuki Yabuki Law Offices k.yabuki@yabukilaw.jp

Kaori Yamada Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer kaori.yamada@freshfields.com Atsushi Yamada* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune atsushi.yamada@amt-law.com Tatsuo Yamashima Atsumi & Sakai tatsuo.yamashima@aplaw.jp

Setsuko Yufu* Atsumi & Sakai setsuko.yufu@aplaw.jp

whoswholegal.com

CONSTRUCTION & REAL ESTATE

In this chapter we recognise 25 lawyers who stand out for their leading expertise in complex transactions, contractual issues and disputes across the construction sector.

Most Highly Regarded

Masahito Saeki Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Tokyo

Morrison & Foerster excels in this chapter with five listings.

Peers praise Junichi Kurokoshi for his negotiation skills as well as his guidance on the structuring and arrangement of real estate transactions.

Theodore Seltzer sits among Japan’s foremost real estate practitioners thanks to his stellar work on cross-border acquisitions, financing and disposition of real estate.

Masahiro Shiga is highly sought after by arrangers, bookrunners and sponsors in high-value purchase and capital raising in the real estate sector.

The “diligent and industrious” Narutake Takasu impresses sources with his exper tise in real estate investment fund formation, finance transactions, and acquisitions.

Josh Isenberg is well regarded for his adept handling of property financing and transactions in the commercial, industrial and hospitality sectors.

Masahito Saeki of Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is hailed by respondents for his “deep understanding of the Japanese real estate market and regulations”.

Eriko Ozawa maintains a stellar repu tation in the market where she regularly advises on real estate development, acqui sition, leasing and divestment.

Ushijima & Partners’ Kohtaro Tamura garners praise for his encyclopaedic knowl edge of real estate and infrastructure law and regularly represents major banks, multina tionals and investment companies.

Mizuho Yamada with White & Case is highly sought after by financial advisors, hotel owners and property developers for his expertise in corporate and commercial infra structure deals.

Craig Shepherd at Herbert Smith Freehills receives widespread endorsements for his

Kohtaro Tamura Ushijima & Partners Tokyo

well-renowned practice in construction dispute resolutions.

David Gilmore routinely represents leading Japanese energy, engineering and trading corporates in complex multi-party construction arbitrations.

Yuko Ino from Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe is a “laser-focussed and strong” lawyer who is regularly instructed in urban development projects and real estate transactions.

At Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Naoyuki Kabata ranks highly among peers thanks to his strong track record on fund formation, acquisitions and dispositions in the property sector.

Minoru Kobayashi garners praise from market sources for his skilful handling of real estate negotiations, particularly when it comes to financing, investments, transac tions and arbitrations.

Minoru Kobayashi

Minoru Kobayashi is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and has been involved in a wide range of real estate transactions, including sale and purchase of real estate, commercial leasing and real estate developments. Mr. Kobayashi has particular strength in complex real estate finance and real estate funds, and regularly represents lenders, sponsors, asset managers, developers, investors and other key players, including various financial institutions and global real estate funds, dealing with various types of assets including office buildings, residential buildings, commercial facilities, logistics facilities, hotels and healthcare assets.

Mr. Kobayashi's practice also focuses on capital market transactions and has represented foreign issuers and managers in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities in Japan and globally. With the combination of his experiences in real estate and capital market, he is also highly experienced in handling public and private offerings of units of Japanese REITs (real estate investment trusts). Mr. Kobayashi's practice also focuses on securitization, establishment of investment funds and other structured financing transactions involving numerous asset classes.

In addition to his real estate, capital market and structured finance practice, Mr. Kobayashi also has experience in mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters including corporate restructurings, licensing and international trade.

Mr. Kobayashi is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1995) and the University of Virginia (LLM, 2002).  Mr. Kobayashi is admitted to practice law in Japan (1997) and New York (2003). Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1052 minoru.kobayashi@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

Yoshiko Koizumi City-Yuwa Partners

Yoshiko Koizumi is a senior partner at City-Yuwa Partners. Since 1972, she has been continuously providing legal services to clients on infrastructure and procurement projects in Japan and overseas including ODA (official development assistance). Ms. Koizumi represents contractors, consultants, engineering firms, suppliers and government agencies. She provides them with a broad range of legal services, including providing strategic advice in dispute avoidance or resolution and reviewing, advising, negotiating and drafting contracts and other documents.

In the early stages of her career, Ms. Koizumi provided legal advice to construction companies, plant manufacturers and engineering consultants who were engaged in overseas projects in emerging markets. Then, she expanded her practice area to infrastructure, government procurement, govern ance and compliance program, incorporating managerial viewpoints which she has acquired through serving as outside board member of listed companies. She has also been providing legal assistance to clients who have been affected by recent global issues such as war in Ukraine and COVID-19 pandemic. Lately, she has been providing legal support in ESG-related projects including carbon neutral projects such as wind farm, SDGsrelated projects such as M&A to secure supply chain, and infrastructure projects such as highspeed railway project and acquisition of mine.

Ms. Koizumi received her bachelor of arts degree from Tokyo University of Education (currently University of Tsukuba) and master of laws degree from University of London, London School of Economics and Political Science.

DIRECTORY

An

WWL says: Minoru Kobayashi garners praise from market sources for his skilful handling of real estate negotiations, particu larly when it comes to financing, invest ments, transactions and arbitrations.

Marunouchi Mitsui Building 2-2-2 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-0005 Tel: +81-3-6212-5500 yoshiko.koizumi@city-yuwa.com www.city-yuwa.com

WWL says: Yoshiko Koizumi is a seasoned practitioner, well versed in domestic and cross-border construction disputes.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP simon.barrett@pillsburylaw.com

Rupert Burrows Mayer Brown GJBJ rupert.burrows@mayerbrown.com

Gerald Fujii Withers Bengoshi Houjin gerald.fujii@withersworldwide.com

David Gilmore Herbert Smith Freehills GJBJ david.gilmore@hsf.com Yuko Ino

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP/Orrick Tokyo Law Offices yino@orrick.com

Josh Isenberg Morrison & Foerster LLP joshuaisenberg@mofo.com

Naoyuki Kabata Anderson Mori & Tomotsune naoyuki.kabata@amt-law.com

Eiichi Kanda Clifford Chance eiichi.kanda@cliffordchance.com

Minoru Kobayashi* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune minoru.kobayashi@amt-law.com

Yoshiko Koizumi* City-Yuwa Partners yoshiko.koizumi@city-yuwa.com

Junichi Kurokoshi Morrison & Foerster LLP jkurokoshi@mofo.com Norio Maeda Nishimura & Asahi n.maeda@nishimura.com

Tetsuya Morimoto White & Case LLP Eriko Ozawa Mori Hamada & Matsumoto eriko.ozawa@mhm-global.com

Masahito Saeki Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masahito.saeki@mhm-global.com

Masanori Sato Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masanori.sato@mhm-global.com

Theodore S Seltzer Morrison & Foerster LLP tseltzer@mofo.com

Masahiro Shiga Morrison & Foerster LLP mshiga@mofo.com

Noboru Suwa Mori Hamada & Matsumoto noboru.suwa@mhm-global.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Simon Barrett

denotes

who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Hirofumi Taba

Linklaters Tokyo hirofumi.taba@linklaters.com

Narutake Takasu Morrison & Foerster LLP ntakasu@mofo.com

Kohtaro Tamura Ushijima & Partners kohtaro.tamura@ushijima-law.gr.jp

Shunpei Tanaka Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu shunpei_tanaka@noandt.com

Mizuho Yamada White & Case LLP myamada@tokyo.whitecase.com

CORPORATE IMMIGRATON

In this chapter, we identify three leading practitioners for their excellence in corporate immigration matters, ranging from overseas workforce management to navigating multinational companies through regulatory requirements.

Saneaki Ichijo at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune is a celebrated corporate lawyer with longstanding experience across the full gamut of immigration issues.

The “excellent” Masahito Nakai of Nakai Immigration Services is a leading light in the corporate immigration arena who holds 30 years of experience providing top-tier advice to domestic and international clients.

Immigration Lawyer Shimoda Office is home to Yoshio Shimoda who is praised by peers and clients alike as “a top immigration lawyer” in the market.

DIRECTORY

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Saneaki Ichijo Anderson Mori & Tomotsune saneaki.ichijo@amt-law.com

Masahito Nakai Nakai Immigration Services LPC nakai@tokyovisa.co.jp

Yoshio Shimoda Immigration Lawyer Shimoda Office info@shimodalegal.com

CORPORATE TAX

Here we shine the light on 10 top-tier practitioners, recognised for their stellar advisory work on complex corporate tax matters.

Toshio Miyatake with Adachi Henderson Miyatake & Fujita is widely recognised by peers as “a senior stateman who is well respected in the Japanese market”.

Gary Thomas from Law Offices of Gary M Thomas is renowned for his “expansive expe rience in transfer pricing matters”.

Ryutaro Uchiyama of Tokyo Kyodo Accounting Office is frequently sought after by a diverse range of corporations for his top-notch counsel on the full spectrum of tax issues.

Eric Roose at Withers Bengoshi Houjin main tains an eminent tax practice which sees him regularly representing corporates, investors and trust managers.

From Jones Day, Koichi Inoue frequently advises domestic and foreign companies on tax restructuring, transactions and investments.

At Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Koji Fujita receives worldwide recommendations from market respondents for his “excellent knowl edge” of international tax law.

Eiichiro Nakatani is a prominent player in the tax sphere, highlighted by peers for his profound expertise in tax contracts, transac tions and disputes.

Atsushi Fujieda of Ernst & Young Tax Co distinguishes himself as a key player in the market with his “pronounced proficiency” in contentious tax matters.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu’s Shigeki Minami routinely represents blue-chip corporations in complex tax audits, contro versies and tribunals involving Japanese tax authorities.

Koji Fujita

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Koji Fujita is specialized in international and domestic tax laws. He and his colleague partners jointly lead the tax practice of the firm, including Tax Planning and Structuring, Tax Litigation and Dispute Resolution. He also handles international M&A, Business Restructuring, Business Alliances and Joint Ventures.

He is one of the leading lawyers in Japanese tax practice and has been recognized as a high-prized lawyer for a long time in several global prizes.

He also has been a long-time active member of an international tax law community, such as the International Fiscal Association, and has been a panelist in several sessions at the annual congresses of the International Fiscal Association and the International Bar Association.

[Educational and professional background]

1984 The University of Tokyo (LL.B.)

1990 University of Michigan (LL.M.)

1986–Anderson, Mori & Tomotsune (including its former firm

1990–1991 Associated with Cravath Swaine & Moore (New York)

1991–1992 Associated with Bruckhaus Westrick Stegemann (Frankfurt, Germany)

1995–Anderson Mori (partner)

Shigeki Minami

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu

Shigeki Minami is a lawyer licensed in Japan (admitted in 1997) and a partner at the Tokyo office of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. In his practice he focuses primarily on international and domestic tax matters. He regularly represents major Japanese and foreign companies in tax audits, tax disputes, and competent authority procedures (including APA and MAP) with the Japanese and foreign tax authorities, and he has litigated tax cases before the National Tax Tribunals and the Japanese courts. He also provides transactional advice on international tax matters, including tax treaties, withholding taxes, and permanent estab lishment issues for multinational companies and various forms of investment funds.

Recently, he has successfully represented: a Japanese auto manufacturer in a transfer-pricing dispute before Japanese courts, which resulted in the cancellation of an assessment of more than US $200 million; a Japanese ceramic manufacturer in a transfer-pricing dispute before Japanese courts, which resulted in the cancellation of an assessment of more than US $50 million; a US-based multina tional company in a tax dispute involving an inter national reorganisation before Japanese courts, which resulted in the cancellation of an assessment of more than US $1 billion; an international air carrier against its trading partners in commercial disputes that originated from VAT-related matters; a national sports association in a cross-border withholding tax dispute with the Japanese tax authority, which resulted in the authority's with drawal of a suggested assessment; and a leading Japanese apparel company in an advance pricing agreement with the Japanese tax authority on transfer pricing matters. He has also advised on tax matters for the integration of leading sea carriers, and advised various international investment funds on tax matters for structuring investments into various kinds of Japanese assets.

Mr. Minami served as the chair of the AsiaPacific regional committee of the International Fiscal Association (IFA) from 2016 to 2018 and is a member of the practice council of the interna tional tax programme at the New York University School of Law.

Mr. Minami is a frequent speaker at interna tional conferences held by various entities and organisations, including the Asia-Pacific regional committee of the International Fiscal Association, the International Bar Association, the New York Bar Association, the New York University School of Law, the Korea International Trade Association (International Law Center, Department of Law), and the Chinese Culture University.

He has authored a number of books and arti cles in both Japanese and English, and is a regular contributor to the Transfer Pricing Law Review and the The International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG), for which he writes articles dealing with topical Japanese tax issues.

Mr. Minami is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Tokyo, an adjunct lecturer at Sophia Law School, and a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Law, Kobe University.

Mr. Minami graduated from the University of Tokyo with an LLB in 1994 and from the New York University School of Law with an LLM in corporate law in 2002, and tax law in 2003.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1021

koji.fujita@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Koji Fujita receives worldwide recommendations from market respond ents for his "excellent knowledge" of inter national tax law.

For the past several years, Mr. Minami has been selected as one of the top tax lawyers in Japan by Who's Who Legal, Chambers Asia-Pacific, and Best Lawyers in Japan. He is also recognised as a leading practitioner in Japan by the World Tax and International Tax Review.

JP Tower

2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-7036

Tel: +81 3 6889 7177

shigeki_minami@noandt.com www.noandt.com

WWL says: Shigeki Minami routinely represents blue-chip corporations in complex tax audits, controversies and tribunals involving Japanese tax authorities.

Eiichiro Nakatani

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Eiichiro Nakatani is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and advises and assists various domestic and cross border contracts and transac tions, with an emphasis on international taxation matters. Ranked as the leading global tax lawyer by the Tax Directors Handbook for many years. Ranked in Band 1 of the Leading Individuals, Tax, Japan of "Chambers Asia" for many years.

[Educational and professional background]

1982 Tokyo University (LL.B.)

1991–1992 Trained at a law firm in the United Kingdom

2007–2008 Part-time Lecturer, Waseda University School of Law (International Tax Law)

2016–Member of the Japanese Law Translation Council, the Ministry of Justice

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Atsushi Fujieda

Ernst & Young Tax Co Koji Fujita* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune koji.fujita@amt-law.com

Koichi Inoue

Jones Day kinoue@jonesday.com

Shigeki Minami* Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu shigeki_minami@noandt.com

Toshio Miyatake

Adachi Henderson Miyatake & Fujita miyatake@ahmf.jp

Eiichiro Nakatani* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune eiichiro.nakatani@amt-law.com

Eric N Roose

Withers Bengoshi Houjin eric.roose@withersworldwide.com

Gary M Thomas

Law Offices of Gary M Thomas Ryutaro Uchiyama Tokyo Kyodo Accounting Office ryutaro-uchiyama@tkao.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1017 eiichiro.nakatani@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Eiichiro Nakatani is a prominent player in the tax sphere, highlighted by peers for his profound expertise in tax contracts, transactions and disputes.

DATAIn this chapter, we identify 10 outstanding data lawyers who come highly recommended for their expertise spanning data privacy and protection, cybersecurity and IT matters.

Most Highly Regarded

Takashi Nakazaki Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Tokyo

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto excels with four practitioners listed this year.

Hiroyuki Tanaka is a key name in data protection, praised for being “able to give sound advice on new problems that have no precedent because he understands solid principles”.

Masakazu Masujima is widely recog nised as a data law expert, particularly when it comes to fintech issues such as crypto assets, blockchain and cybersecurity.

Ryoko Matsumoto ranks prominently for her data practice, with particular expertise in the life sciences sector.

Yoshifumi Onodera excels on the national stage for his work on disputes and data protection, with significant expertise in the intersection of data and IP law.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune performs strongly with three practitioners in this chapter.

Takashi Nakazaki is a TMT specialist whose world-class practice encompasses a wide range of digital matters from e-com merce to digital forensics.

Hitoshi Ishihara stands out for his top-tier work on corporate and commercial matters in the TMT and gaming sectors.

Akihito Nakamachi receives widespread acclaim for his expertise across Japanese and US data law, representing clients in a wide range of industries, from software and gaming to pharmaceuticals.

Kazuyasu Shiraishi at TMI Associates is highly commended by the international community for his deep knowledge of cyber security issues.

Masaya Hirano draws praise from market sources for his top-tier practice in TMT and cybersecurity law.

Takafumi Ochiai of Atsumi & Sakai is held in high esteem for his data practice which sees him work on a wide array of data issues, including AI, autonomous vehicles and real estate technology.

Hitoshi Ishihara is partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune providing pertinent and timely advice to various international and domestic companies including operators of e-commerce, advertisement, online games, e-gaming, professional and amateur sports, social games, and online gambling.  In the intellectual property field, Mr. Ishihara has exten sive experience in IP licensing and transactions and also provides advice on regulatory issues in addition to his strength in data protection and privacy.

He also have extensive experience in sports and entertainment related matters, advising various stakeholders, including sports federations, sports clubs and professional athletes regarding the formation of regulations, anti-doping matters, club management, licensing and player transactions.

His distinctive English skill, backed by over seven years experience in the United States, enables him to effectively bridge the linguistic and cultural gap faced by his clients which matches the needs of various international and foreign-affiliated clients establishing and doing business in Japan.

Mr. Ishihara also has extensive focus and knowledge concerning the Japanese casino and gaming laws including the Japanese Integrated Resort (IR) Act, providing advice concerning the Japanese IR Act and gaming regulations to various casino operators, equipment manufac turers, foreign law firms, and state agencies.  Mr. Ishihara has also been named "Leading Gaming Law Advisor of the Year" by various publications numerous times.

Takashi Nakazaki is special counsel at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune with broad experience in the areas of data protection and privacy (including big data and IoT), information security, intellec tual property including copyright and trademarks, licensing (including software licences and patent licences), and payment services (including credit cards and pre-paid cards). Further, he has expe rience working on matters relating to cyber law issues such as cloud computing, domain names, e-commerce, and social media and other tech nology related areas (including computer forensics, digital copyright, software development and open source code), telecommunications, labour and general corporate law.

Mr. Nakazaki has been ranked as one of the top lawyers in the data protection and informa tion security field for the last several years.  He published a bestseller publication focusing on the GDPR in Japanese in April 2018. In addition, he regularly assists the Japanese government in data protection and cyber law areas including "AI Governance Guidelines", "AI & Data Contracts Guidelines" and "National Omote-nashi project". He established the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Tokyo as a co-founder.

Mr. Nakazaki has written ton of articles on various topics such as data protection and privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), e-sport, online gambling, social media, robot and metaverse issues. He also contributes to the IBA technology committee as a chair of the Rights and Disputes Subcommittee, AIPPI as a member of the standing committee on information technology (IT) and Internet, and AIPPI Japan as an editorial board member.

Mr. Nakazaki received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo (1998), and holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School (2008). He worked for Arnold & Porter LLP (September 2008 -June 2009) before resuming his position at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.

Hiroyuki Tanaka

Hiroyuki Tanaka is a partner of the firm, admitted to practice in Japan and New York. Hiroyuki's prac tice areas are data protection, IT and IP. He has extensive experience advising foreign clients on Japanese data protection law. He is also familiar with global data protection regulations, including GDPR and CCPA / CPRA, and helps Japanese clients with global data protection compliance by working closely with local counsels. He has exten sive experience as legal counsel for various IP infringement disputes as well as disputes related to IT including software, games, and apps.

He has a long list of publication credits relating to his area of expertise, including the article "Practical notes for Japan's amended APPI: How to amend privacy notices" and "Practical notes for Japan's important updates of the APPI guidelines and Q&As" (the International Association of Privacy Professionals, 2021) and "EU Data Compliance for Practitioners (GDPR and e-Privacy Regulations)" (Shoji Homu, 2019). He regularly serves as a speaker in various seminars and events. He was selected as one of 2019’s top five best-performing data lawyers (as selected by companies) in Nikkei’s 15th corporate legal affairs and lawyer survey of the Japanese market.

He was listed as one of Japan’s best tech nology lawyers in the 12th edition of Best Lawyers in Japan, and one of the leading IP lawyers in Asia by Asialaw Leading Lawyers (2021). He has LLB and JD degrees from Keio University; and an LLM in competition, innovation and information law from New York University School of Law.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1114 hitoshi.ishihara@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hitoshi Ishihara stands out for his top-tier work on corporate and commer cial matters in the TMT and gaming sectors.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1086 takashi.nakazaki@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Takashi Nakazaki is a TMT specialist whose world-class practice encompasses a wide range of digital matters, from e-commerce to digital forensics.

Marunouchi Park Building

2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8222

Tel: +81-3-6266-8597

hiroyuki.tanaka@mhm-global.com www.mhmjapan.com

WWL says: Hiroyuki Tanaka is a key name in data protection, praised for being “able to give sound advice on new problems that have no precedent because he understands solid principles”.

Hitoshi Ishihara

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Takashi Nakazaki Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

Masaya Hirano TMI Associates mhirano@tmi.gr.jp

Hitoshi Ishihara* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hitoshi.ishihara@amt-law.com

Masakazu Masujima Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masakazu.masujima@mhm-global.com

Ryoko Matsumoto Mori Hamada & Matsumoto ryoko.matsumoto@mhmjapan.com

Akihito Nakamachi Anderson Mori & Tomotsune akihito.nakamachi@amt-law.com

Takashi Nakazaki* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune takashi.nakazaki@amt-law.com

Takafumi Ochiai

Atsumi & Sakai takafumi.ochiai@aplaw.jp

Yoshifumi Onodera Mori Hamada & Matsumoto yoshifumi.onodera@mhm-global.com

Kazuyasu Shiraishi

TMI Associates kshiraishi@tmi.gr.jp

Hiroyuki Tanaka* Mori Hamada & Matsumoto hiroyuki.tanaka@mhm-global.com

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES

This year sees 11 practitioners recognised for their excellent work on energy and natural resources projects, from LNG financing to project development in renewables.

Morrison & Foerster excels with three prac titioners listed.

Dale Caldwell impresses market commentators with his transactional knowhow in the mining and power industries.

Michael Graffagna draws praise from peers and clients alike for his expertise in infrastructure projects for renewable energy and mining.

Jon Ornolfsson earns endorsements from the international community for his work on power and chemicals projects, with a particular focus on renewable energy initiatives.

Aled Davies of Milbank draws glowing praise as a go-to name for energy project finance, advising on a range of energy projects, from petrochemicals to renewables.

Justen Fleming receives worldwide endorsements as a market-leading lawyer for international LNG projects.

John McClenahan of King & Spalding Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi Jimusho receives widespread acclaim for his experience in the development and financing of energy projects.

Rupert Burrows of Mayer Brown ranks among the very elite of practitioners in the market and is sought after by a range of clients, including trading houses and banks.

Alexander Woody at Nishimura & Asahi is a leading name for energy project invest ments, focusing his first-rate practice on cross-border investments in LNG as well as renewable projects.

Paul Harrison of White & Case excels in the rankings for his advice on project and debt finance for clients in the power and oil and gas industries.

John Maxwell at Linklaters Tokyo receives widespread acclaim for his expert advice to clients on the financing and acquisitions of projects, including those in the petrochemical and offshore wind industries.

Gavin Raftery at Baker McKenzie enjoys a fantastic reputation in the energy and natural resources arena, specialising in carbon finance and emissions trading.

DIRECTORY

Rupert Burrows Mayer Brown GJBJ rupert.burrows@mayerbrown.com

Dale Caldwell Morrison & Foerster LLP dcaldwell@mofo.com

Aled Davies Milbank LLP adavies@milbank.com

Justen Fleming Milbank LLP jfleming@milbank.com

Michael C Graffagna Morrison & Foerster LLP mgraffagna@mofo.com

Paul Harrison White & Case LLP pharrison@whitecase.com

John Maxwell Linklaters Tokyo john.maxwell@linklaters.com

John McClenahan

King & Spalding Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi Jimusho jmcclenahan@kslaw.com

Jon Ornolfsson Morrison & Foerster LLP jornolfsson@mofo.com

Gavin Raftery

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) gavin.raftery@bakermckenzie.com

Alexander W Woody Nishimura & Asahi a.woody@nishimura.com

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

FRANCHISE

This chapter sees six impressive practitioners listed for their wealth of experience in franchise transactions, registration and distribution law.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune sees three lawyers listed here.

Etsuko Hara secures worldwide endorsements for her encyclopaedic knowl edge of distribution, license and franchise agreements.

Aoi Inoue is highly sought after by fran chisors, franchisees and investors for his impressive track record on distribution, joint ventures and master franchise agreements.

Yasufumi Shiroyama routinely repre sents clients in a broad range of licensing and technology transfer agreements and ensuing litigations.

Gakushuin University’s Souichirou Kozuka earns plaudits from peers for his expertise in commercial law and corporate structures in the franchise field.

Stephen Bohrer of Nishimura & Asahi is a go-to name in the market when it comes to acquisitions and joint ventures involving key franchise brands.

Atsushi Igarashi with TMI Associates is highly sought after by franchisors and franchisees in a range of contentious matters.

Etsuko Hara

Etsuko Hara is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and also teaching at the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics.  Her practice focuses on the areas of antitrust law and corporate transactions.

Ms. Hara has extensive experience advising on antitrust cases as well as inbound and outbound transactions, including cross-border distribution, licence and franchise agreements and other corpo rate transactions.  She regularly handles multi-ju risdictional merger filings and advises on various antitrust issues with regard to the transactions, including complex contract arrangements such as alliances between competitors, and vertical anti trust issues.

Ms. Hara also advises on international and domestic cartel cases, and has assisted clients on cartel investigations by the JFTC and foreign competition authorities, leniency applications and private actions.

Ms. Hara is a graduate of Columbia Law School (LLM) and the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1998), and is admitted as a lawyer in Japan and New York.  She recently co-authored Japanese Anti-monopoly Act - Annotated (Edition 2) (KOUBUNDOU Publishers Inc., 2022) and Introduction to Japanese Business Law & Practice Fifth Edition (2021).

Aoi Inoue

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Aoi Inoue is a partner and co-head of the International Arbitration practice at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.  He specializes in international arbitration and litigation.  He represents clients in a wide range of business disputes, including joint venture, distributorship, licensing, franchising, construction projects, complex financial prod ucts, labor & employment and product liability. He has acted as counsel in a number of international arbitrations under various rules including the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, JCAA and UNCITRAL.  He also serves as arbitrator and has been appointed to the panel of arbitrators of the JCAA, KCAB INTERNATIONAL and Japan Sports Arbitration Agency (JSAA). He currently serves as an executive director of the Japan International Dispute Resolution Center (JIDRC) and a director of the Japan Association of Arbitrators (JAA). He has been recognized as a leading arbitration lawyer in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Global Guide), Who’s Who Legal: Japan (National Guide), Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation.

Mr. Inoue also acts for overseas clients seeking to expand their business and operations into Japan through international franchising. Mr. Inoue has been nominated for inclusion in the list of recog nized franchise lawyers of the Who's Who Legal: Franchise.

Mr. Inoue received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo, and holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School. He is admitted to practice in Japan and New York. He worked for Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, a New York law firm as a visiting attorney (2010 to 2011) before he resumed his position at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. He co-authored Law and Practice of International Commercial Arbitration (Maruzen-Yushodo, 2016).

Yasufumi Shiroyama is a partner of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.

Mr. Shiroyama has focused on domestic and global patent litigations in relation to wide variety of technologies including life science, telecom munication, electronics, software, medical device, and machinery, etc. Further, as the head of the IP practice group of the firm, he supervises the firm's practice on patent and trademark filing and prosecution.

He also served as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo, School of Law for teaching intellectual property law during 2004-2022.

He graduated from the University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1992) and University of California, Davis (LL.M., 1998).  He was admitted to the bar in Japan (1994).

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1088 etsuko.hara@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Etsuko Hara secures worldwide endorsements for her encyclopaedic knowl edge of distribution, license and franchise agreements.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1122 aoi.inoue@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Aoi Inoue is highly sought after by franchisors, franchisees and investors for his impressive track record on distri bution, joint ventures and master franchise agreements.

Otemachi Park Building

1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1038

yasufumi.shiroyama@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Yasufumi Shiroyama routinely represents clients in a broad range of licensing and technology transfer agree ments and ensuing litigations.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Yasufumi Shiroyama

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Stephen D Bohrer Nishimura & Asahi s.bohrer@nishimura.com

Etsuko Hara* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune etsuko.hara@amt-law.com

Atsushi Igarashi TMI Associates aigarashi@tmi.gr.jp

Aoi Inoue* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune aoi.inoue@amt-law.com

Souichirou Kozuka Gakushuin University souichirou.kozuka@gakushuin.ac.jp

Yasufumi Shiroyama* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yasufumi.shiroyama@amt-law.com

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

INSURANCE & REINSURANCE

This year’s research into the Japanese insurance and reinsurance market identifies three top-tier individuals who excel in transactional, regulatory and litigious matters.

From Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Tomoki Debari is highly sought after by insurers, insureds and investment houses for his profound expertise in company structures, strategies and transactions.

Masakazu Masujima at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto regularly acts on behalf of financial advisors, investors and arrangers in high-value transactions and regulatory inspections.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu‘s Keitaro Oshimo earns widespread endorsements for his encyclopaedic knowledge of Japanese insurance law.

Tomoki Debari

Tomoki Debari is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of Japan's largest and most prom inent law firms, and generally recognised as having one of the strongest insurance practices in Japan. Tomoki practises principally in the fields of insur ance, banking, securities and asset management, as well as M&A projects involving insurance compa nies and other financial institutions. He is recog nised as one of the leading lawyers in the insurance field in Japan, and has extensive experience repre senting Japanese and foreign insurance companies in various matters in Japan, including: formation of branches, subsidiaries and insurance joint venture companies in Japan and applications for insurance business licences; acquisition of shares in insur ance companies and/or portfolio transfers; demu tualisation and other structural changes, including conversion of Japanese branches into subsidiaries licensed to conduct the insurance business; stra tegic alliances and mergers involving insurance companies; outbound investment and/or forma tion of joint ventures in the US, Europe and Asia (including Vietnam, Turkey, Thailand and Singapore) by Japanese insurers; development of new life and non-life product lines; asset management (including real estate, funds and various derivative transactions); reinsurance transactions and ancil lary hedging transactions; ongoing advice on all major issues relating to the Insurance Business Act and Insurance Contract Act; litigation and alterna tive dispute resolution (including disputes relating to reinsurance); and inspections by the Financial Services Agency of Japan.

Tomoki has also authored numerous academic articles, and frequently speaks at notable sympo siums on insurance law issues. He is a member of the Dai-ni Tokyo Bar Association and served as a vice chair of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) insurance committee from May, 2015 through April, 2019. Tomoki holds an LLB from Tokyo University, an LLM from the Tokyo University Graduate School of Law and Politics, and a Magister Juris from Christ Church College, University of Oxford.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Tomoki Debari* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune tomoki.debari@amt-law.com

Masakazu Masujima Mori Hamada & Matsumoto masakazu.masujima@mhm-global.com

Keitaro Oshimo

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu keitaro_oshimo@noandt.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1089 tomoki.debari@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Tomoki Debari is highly sought after by insurers, insureds and investment houses for his profound expertise in company structures, strategies and transactions.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Our research into the Korean intellectual property market sees 45 practitioners highlighted for their outstanding work covering regulatory, contentious and transactional matters relating to patents, trademarks and copyright.

Most Highly Regarded

Hitomi Iwase

Nishimura & Asahi Tokyo

Eiji Katayama

Abe Ikubo & Katayama Tokyo

Yoshio Kumakura

Nakamura & Partners Tokyo

Nakamura & Partners performs well with three listings in this chapter.

The “legendary” Yoshio Kumakura earns effusive praise for his first-rate IP practice handling a range of matters, with particular focus on the pharmaceutical sector.

Kazuhiko Yoshida comes highly recom mended for his profound experience in IP litigations, transactions and licensing negotiations.

Koichi Tsujii secures endorsements for his top-notch counsel on domestic and inter national corporate IP matters.

Abe Ikubo & Katayama’s Eiji Katayama is widely commended by clients in the elec tronics, chemical and technology sectors for his experience in complex IP issues.

Hitomi Iwase from Nishimura & Asahi receives praise for her skilful handling of sensitive patent-related matters from a variety of industries.

Eiichiro Kubota at Kubota is a marketleading practitioner who is singled out by peers as “a brilliant lawyer who excels at patent litigations”.

Taku Nakagawa from RIN IP Partners garners praise for his “thoughtful, thorough and intellectually curious” approach to a range of patent issues.

Seiji Ohno with Ohno & Partners is widely endorsed as a top-tier IP specialist who is highly sought after for his expertise in compliance, licensing and litigation.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune’s Yasufumi Shiroyama is highly esteemed as “a notable figure in the IP space” who is particularly adept in healthcare, pharmaceutical and tech-related patent matters.

Yoshikazu Iwase is widely endorsed by sources as a go-to name for complex patent infringement trials with an overseas element.

Takamitsu Shigetomi of Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners continues to impress peers with his broad knowledge spanning the full gamut of intellectual property law.

Yuasa and Hara is home to Toshiaki Iimura, who is highly sought after for his guidance on complex patent prosecutions and regulatory inspections.

Eiichiro Kubota

Kubota Tokyo

Max Olson with Morrison & Foerster gains plaudits from market respondents for his top-tier practice handling patent and trade secret controversies, licensing negotiations and arbitrations.

TMI Associates’ Hiroshi Nemoto is a key player in the IP space with a prestigious practice focussed on IT, medical and health care-related IP disputes.

At Paul Hastings, Hiroyuki Hagiwara possesses over 20 years of experience adeptly handling patent litigations, licensing transactions and investigations.

Maxwell Fox of McDermott Will & Emery routinely represents leading pharmaceutical giants, tech innovators and security corpo rates in IP disputes and negotiations.

Harumi Kojo with Sakurazaka Law Offices is a highly respected lawyer who garners praise for her encyclopaedic knowledge of Japanese IP law.

Miki Goto

Miki Goto is a partner in the intellectual property group in Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. He has an exceptional background as a Japanese lawyer with an academic background in both science and engi neering, and professional experience working in the intellectual property department of a major electronics company.

Mr. Goto’s practice covers a wide range of complex intellectual property matters, including disputes concerning patents, licensing, trade secrets, trademark and technology related antitrust claims. He also has broad experience in technology, content, branding and other intellectual property development, licensing and partnering transac tions, portfolio management, and IP due diligence.

Mr. Goto is active in several professional soci eties including International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), in which he serves as a vice chair of Standing Committee on Trade Secret.

In addition to being admitted to the bar in Japan (2008) and the state of New York (2014), he passed the Japanese Patent Attorney Examination in 2003. Mr. Goto graduated from Kyoto University (BSc, 2000), The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Engineering (M. Eng., 2002), Kobe University Graduate School of Law (J.D., 2007) and Stanford Law School (LL.M., 2013).

Mami Hino, one of the leading partners in Abe Ikubo & Katayama, is an experienced and skilled patent attorney, especially in relation to life sciences. She has extensive experience in complex patent litiga tion as well as Japan Patent Office (JPO) proceed ings, involving biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and other life sciences, representing innovative companies.

Mami also has vast experience in prose cuting patent term extension (PTE) applications and PTE-related legal proceedings for life science products as well as regular patent applications protecting various aspects of life science products.

Based on her experience in litigation, JPO proceedings, and prosecution of patent applica tions and PTE applications, in combination with her abundant knowledge on regulatory requirements, Mami acts for and provides advice to clients on a variety of issues regarding life sciences prod ucts, such as evaluating core technologies for bio venture companies and helping them to develop their business; and assisting innovative companies in maximising exclusivity of their important prod ucts and avoiding unnecessary disputes to promote their products.

Mami handles multi-jurisdictional litigation cases representing US, European, Chinese, Korean and Japanese companies. Mami has been admitted to practise in New York since 2000, and is admitted to practise Japanese patent law before the JPO and Japanese courts.

Mami has been regularly ranked as a leading intellectual property lawyer in Japan by Chambers Global, IAM Patent 1000, Who’s Who Legal and Best Lawyers.

Seiji Ohno Ohno & Partners

Seiji Ohno is a managing partner of Ohno & Partners. He is a licensed lawyer in Japan and New York. Mr Ohno specialises in intellectual property law and the fields of regulatory compliance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and handles the full range of services, including licensing, client counselling and litigation, especially in biotech nology and pharmaceuticals.

Mr Ohno has lectured on litigation and licensing under Japanese intellectual law and regulatory compliance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare before various groups in Japan and other countries, and has published many arti cles discussing various issues of Japanese patent law, trademark, utility model, copyright and unfair competition matters. Mr Ohno was an adjunct professor at the Chiba University faculty of Law and Economics in 2001 and 2002; at the Tsukuba University on the LLM programme in 2003; at the University of Tokyo Pharmaceutical faculty from 2004 to 2007; and at Keio Law School, teaching intellectual property law since 2007. He has also been an adjunct staff member of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from 2005 to 2009.

After studying Sciences at the University of Tokyo College of Arts and Sciences, Mr Ohno received his LLB from the same university in 1985, and an LLM in patents and intellectual property from George Washington University Law School in 1995. He was a visiting attorney at Fenwick & West from 1994 to 1995; and at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP, both in Washington, DC, from 1995 to 1996.

Ohno & Partners is a unique firm, composed of bengoshi (attorneys-at-law) and benrishi (patent attorneys). The firm continues to provide a full range of legal services in all aspects of IP (patents, trademarks, design patents, copyrights, unfair competition, etc), including litigation, prosecution, licensing, IP due diligence, opinion and counselling.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1186

miki.goto@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Miki Goto is highlighted for his strong technical background and notable experience in complex IP and technology disputes.

Fukuoka Building, 9th Floor 2-8-7 Yaesu, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0028 Tel: +81 3 3273 2600 hino@aiklaw.co.jp www.aiklaw.co.jp

WWL says: Mami Hino maintains a well-re spected IP practice spanning a wide spec trum of matters, from invalidity trials and appeals to infringement disputes.

Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building 21F 1-6-5 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-0005 Tel: +81 3 5218 2330 info@oslaw.org www.oslaw.org

WWL says: Seiji Ohno is widely endorsed as a top-tier IP specialist who is highly sought after for his expertise in compliance, licensing and litigation.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Mami Hino Abe Ikubo & Katayama

Yasufumi Shiroyama

Yasufumi Shiroyama is a partner of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.

Mr. Shiroyama has focused on domestic and global patent litigations in relation to wide variety of technologies including life science, telecom munication, electronics, software, medical device, and machinery, etc.  Further, as the head of the IP practice group of the firm, he supervises the firm's practice on patent and trademark filing and prosecution.

He also served as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo, School of Law for teaching intellectual property law during 2004-2022.

He graduated from the University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1992) and University of California, Davis (LL.M., 1998).  He was admitted to the bar in Japan (1994).

Hajime Watanabe

WATANABE & SHIMIZU

Hajime Watanabe is a litigator in patent and anti trust disputes at the top of his game, appreciated by peers and clients alike for his commercial mindset.

He obtained an LLB from the University of Tokyo in 1985 and was admitted to the Daini-Tokyo Bar Association in 1987. He was also admitted to the New York State Bar Association in 1995 and obtained an LLM from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1993.

Mr Watanabe joined Mori Sogo (now Mori Hamada & Matsumoto) in 1987. He worked at Jenner & Block in Chicago from 1993 to 1995 and at the US Federal Trade Commission in Washington DC in 1995. In 1994 he was admitted in Illinois (as a foreign consultant) at the Chicago Bar Association and in New York at the New York Bar Association. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. He co-founded STW & Partners (now SHIOMIZAKA) in 2007 with seven other lawyers from Mori Hamada & Matsumoto. Then he co-founded WATANABE & SHIMIZU in 2022.  The firm can provide innovative legal advice in a flexible and effective manner that is tailored to each case, while maintaining a broad perspective, not limited to any one particular field.

Mr Watanabe has vast experience in dealing with dispute resolution matters with both domestic and international aspects, including IP, antitrust and contractual disputes. Also, he is the specialist in the area of compliance and corporate governance matters. He has advised myriad of household-name clients from Japan and abroad on matters across various industry sectors.  In addition, he has deep experience as outside directors of number of corporations.

DIRECTORY

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1038 yasufumi.shiroyama@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Yasufumi Shiroyama is highly esteemed as "a notable figure in the IP space” who is particularly adept in in health care, pharmaceutical and tech-related patent matters.

2F Saiwai Building 1-3-1 Uchisaiwai-cho Tokyo, 100-0011 Tel: +81 3 6205 4191 hajime.watanabe@wslaw.jp https://wslaw.jp/en/

WWL says: Hajime Watanabe is an outstanding practitioner with a wealth of experience in IP litigation which sees him regularly advise a range of high-profile clients.

Hogan Lovells Horitsu Jimusho Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo frederick.chen@hoganlovells.com

Masahiko Fujita

RIN IP Partners rinip@rin.or.jp

Ryan Goldstein Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan ryangoldstein@quinnemanuel.com Miki Goto* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune miki.goto@amt-law.com

Hiroyuki Hagiwara Paul Hastings LLP hiroyukihagiwara@paulhastings.com Mami Hino* Abe Ikubo & Katayama hino@aiklaw.co.jp

Robert J Hollingshead Kilpatrick Townsend rhollingshead@kilpatricktownsend.com Toshiaki Iimura

Yuasa and Hara tiimura@yuasa-hara.co.jp

Hitomi Iwase Nishimura & Asahi h_iwase@jurists.co.jp

Yoshikazu Iwase

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yoshikazu.iwase@amt-law.com

Eiji Katayama

Abe Ikubo & Katayama eiji.katayama@aiklaw.co.jp

Chiaki Kato

Kubota chiaki.kato@kubota-law.com

Kumpei Kogure

Borders IP mail@bordersip.com

Toshimi Koide Suzuye & Suzuye j-trademarks@s-sogo.jp

Harumi Kojo Sakurazaka Law Offices harumi.kojo@sakurazakalaw.tokyo Eiichiro Kubota

Kubota kubota@kubota-law.com Yoshio Kumakura Nakamura & Partners y_kumakura@nakapat.gr.jp

Masatoshi Kurata Suzuye & Suzuye info@s-sogo.jp

Masashi Kurose

Nishimura & Asahi kurose@ipm-experts.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Frederick Ch'en

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Kazuo Masui

LTE Law Offices info@ltelaw.com

Mitsuko "Mimi" Miyagawa TMI Associates mmiyagawa@tmi.gr.jp

Yoshiyuki Miyashita Nishimura & Asahi yo_miyashita@jurists.co.jp

Takatoshi Monya Nishimura & Asahi t_monya@jurists.co.jp

Satoru Nagasaka TMI Associates snagasaka@tmi.gr.jp

Taku Nakagawa RIN IP Partners taku.nakagawa@rin.or.jp

Tomohiro Nakamura Konishi & Nakamura nakamura@ipworld.jp

Hiroshi Nemoto TMI Associates hnemoto@tmi.gr.jp

Arata Nomoto City-Yuwa Partners arata.nomoto@city-yuwa.com

Yoshimi Ohara Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu yoshimi_ohara@noandt.com

Seiji Ohno* Ohno & Partners info@oslaw.org Max Olson Morrison & Foerster LLP aolson@mofo.com

Lloyd Parker Hogan Lovells Horitsu Jimusho Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo lloyd.parker@hoganlovells.com Shuya Saito Seiwa Patent & Law trademark@seiwapat.co.jp

Shunji Sato TMI Associates ssato@tmi.gr.jp Tatsuya Sawada Sugimura & Partners t.sawada@sugimura.partners Takamitsu Shigetomi Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners shigetomi@ohebashi.com

Yasufumi Shiroyama* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yasufumi.shiroyama@amt-law.com

Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi Yuasa and Hara tsueyoshi@yuasa-hara.co.jp

Wataru Sueyoshi Sueyoshi & Sato wataru.sueyoshi@ktslaw.jp

Koichi Tsujii Nakamura & Partners k_tsujii@nakapat.gr.jp

Hajime Watanabe* WATANABE & SHIMIZU hajime.watanabe@wslaw.jp

Kensaku Yamamoto SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO kyamamoto@shupat.gr.jp

Kazuhiko Yoshida Nakamura & Partners k_yoshida@nakapat.gr.jp

Naoki Yoshida Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner naoki.yoshida@finnegan.com

IP – PATENT ATTORNEY (BENRISHI)

Here, we recognise 20 patent agents for their superb work preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications.

Most Highly Regarded

Yoshiyuki Inaba of TMI Associates is heralded for his “razor-sharp intellect” and “busi ness-savvy” approach to patent-related due diligence and advisory work.

At Saegusa & Partners, Masaki Morishima impresses sources with his “excellent knowledge” on patent applications and prosecutions.

Kei Iida from Nakamura & Partners is a well-renowned practitioner, praised by peers for his “astute advice on IP litigations”.

Soei Patent & Law Firm’s Yoshinori Shimizu is singled out by sources for his extensive experience in IP appeals, prosecutions and trials arising from the chemistry sector.

Tomoya Kurokawa is considered by commentators as “reliably efficient” when resolving complex IP oppositions from the technology, software and communications industries.

Yasuhiko Murayama with Shiga International Patent Office ranks highly among peers thanks to his skilful handling of patent appeals and disputes.

Matsubara, Muraki & Associates’ Nobuyuki Matsubara is highlighted for his stellar patent practice encompassing in anti-coun terfeiting and unfair competition prevention.

Atsushi Aoki at Seiwa Patent & Law gains plaudits from respondents for his first-rate advisory work covering patent filings, oppo sitions and appeals.

Keiji Kondo from Fukuda & Kondo secures endorsements from sources for his distin guished technical background in engineering and natural resources.

Yoshiyuki Inaba TMI Associates Tokyo

Makoto Ono is a patent attorney (benrishi) at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and has more than 19 years of experiences in patent prosecution and liti gation. He was also qualified as a Litigating Patent Attorney (Fuki-benrishi) in 2004.  He graduated from Tokyo University, Faculty of Agrochemistry and received the PhD degree in Biochemistry from the same university. He had been worked in a Japanese company as a researcher of Biochemistry for more than ten years before he qualified as a patent attorney.  He has been involved with various patent matters and is well versed in international and domestic patent filing and prosecution as well as litigation, specialized in Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical, Agrochemistry and Food Engineering. He worked for the IP High Court and Tokyo District Court as a technical adviser in Intellectual Property lawsuits from 2010 to 2014, where he helped the judges understand the state of the art, common general technical knowledge and significance of the patented invention in suit. He has given a number of lectures on IP matters including the 43rd World Intellectual Property Congress of AIPPI and the Comparative Intellectual Property Law Symposium (April 2012) held by AIPPI Canada and etc. He also wrote several articles relating IP protection for Bio and Pharma-related inven tions.  He is a member of Standing Committee on Pharma and Biotechnology of AIPPI from 2015.

DIRECTORY

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1407 makoto.ono@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Makoto Ono maintains a well-renowned IP practice with a focus on biochemical, medical and food engineering patent filings and prosecutions.

Atsushi Aoki

Seiwa Patent & Law atsushi@seiwapat.co.jp

Takeshi Hironaka TMI Associates thironaka@tmi.gr.jp

Kei Iida Nakamura & Partners pat@nakapat.gr.jp

Yoshiyuki Inaba TMI Associates yinaba@tmi.gr.jp

Chiaki Kato Kubota chiaki.kato@kubota-law.com

Keiji Kondo Fukuda & Kondo fukuda.and.kondo@nifty.ne.jp

Masatoshi Kurata Suzuye & Suzuye info@s-sogo.jp

Tomoya Kurokawa SOEI PATENT & LAW FIRM info@soei-patent.co.jp

Yoshiki Kuroki SOEI PATENT & LAW FIRM application@soei-patent.co.jp

Masashi Kurose Nishimura & Asahi kurose@ipm-experts.com

Kiyoshi Kuzuwa Kuzuwa & Partners info@kuzuwa.com

Nobuyuki Matsubara

Matsubara, Muraki & Associates, PC mandm@ip-mandm.com

Sakae Miyanaga

Oshima, Nishimura & Miyanaga PPC office@onm-tm.jp

Masaki Morishima Saegusa & Partners m-morishima@saegusa-pat.co.jp

Yasuhiko Murayama Shiga International Patent Office info@shigapatent.com

Masahiro Nanjo TOKYO ACTi masahiro.nanjo@tokyo-acti.com

Shoichi Okuyama Okuyama & Sasajima mail@quon-ip.jp

Makoto Ono* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune makoto.ono@amt-law.com

Takeshi Sekine

KYOWA Patent and Law Office sekine-takeshi@kyowapatent.co.jp

Yoshinori Shimizu

SOEI PATENT & LAW FIRM application@soei-patent.co.jp

Makoto Ono

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT

This year, we highlight nine labour and employment lawyers for their excellent work in the field, working on issues ranging from labour relations and employment contracts to compensation.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune performs well with three practitioners listed.

Nobuhito Sawasaki earns worldwide endorsements as a top name in the field, experienced in advising on disputes and redundancy processes for national and inter national clients.

Kazutoshi Kakuyama is a seasoned prac titioner who comes highly recommended thanks to his expert advice to clients on labour law matters.

Hideki Thurgood Kanoh enjoys a stellar reputation in the market for his top-tier advice to employers in labour and employ ment law issues.

Setsuko Ueno of Hirakawa International Law Office receives glowing endorsements as “a reliable and experienced lawyer” in the labour market who frequently handles work place harassment complaints.

Nobunori Ishizaki at Ishizaki & Yamanaka Law Office is highlighted as “a very wellknown name” in the market, drawing on decades of experience in the field.

Kazuki Okada at Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo receives praise as “a reputable practitioner” in employment law, specialising in dispute resolution and issues involving Japanese trade unions.

Shione Kinoshita of Daiichi Fuyo Law Office stands out in the international market for her experience in litigation work on a wide array of labour cases.

Shin Ushijima at Ushijima & Partners is a distinguished practitioner with a wealth of experience in labour and employment disputes.

Keiichiro Sue from Blakemore & Mitsuki enjoys a fantastic reputation in the market for his work on a range of labour and employ ment matters, particularly when it comes to trade disputes.

Kazutoshi Kakuyama

Kazutoshi Kakuyama is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, where he leads the firm's labour and employment practice group. He specializes in advising both domestic and overseas compa nies on labour and employment law and general corporate matters. Mr. Kakuyama is well known in legal circles for his extensive experience and representation of large multinational corporations. The firm's clients seek Mr. Kazutoshi's advice on a full spectrum of matters of labour and employ ment and general corporate issues, including, compliance,  pension issues, M&A-related labour and employment issues, employment policies and procedures, employment reduction and termination matters, labour and employment-related dispute resolution and litigation, labour union issues including representation at labour commissions in Japan and negotiation with labour unions, labour agreements, and executive service agreements.

Mr. Kakuyama has been consistently named as a leading attorney in the Employment cate gory of Chambers Asia-Pacific.  Further, for over twenty years, he has been leading Anderson Mori & Tomotsune to receive a Band 1 rating in the Employment category of Chambers Asia-Pacific.  In addition, Mr. Kakuyama won the International Law Office (ILO) Client Choice Award for Labour and Employment law in Japan in both 2010 and 2011.

Mr. Kakuyama's professional member ships include a position as an executive board member of the Management Lawyers Council, as well memberships with the First Tokyo Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the Inter Pacific Bar Association, Lawasia.

Mr. Kakuyama received an LLB from Chuo University in Japan and an LLM from Tulane Law School in the United States.

Hideki Thurgood Kanoh

Hideki Thurgood Kanoh is an equity partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and leads the labour and employment practice in Japan. Thurgood has, since 1995, been devoting his practice exclusively to the area of labour and employment, as well as crisis management, on behalf of both non-Japanese and Japanese multinational companies.

Thurgood’s practice includes dealing with collective bargaining sessions and combating concerted activities (strike, picketing, etc.) of labour unions. He is also an expert in individual employ ment matters, including dismissal and voluntary resignation; disciplinary actions; internal transfer; external secondment; employment of older/disa bled people; establishment and implementation of salary/ bonus/ retirement benefit systems; overtime work; discrimination on gender/ preg nancy/ childbirth/ LGBTQ; sexual harassment; bullying; demotion; moonlighting; work from home; mental health; occupational safety, hygiene and health; long-term leave; preparation of, and amendment to, Work Rules; preparation of employ ment contracts, including fixed-term/ part-time employment contracts; executive service agree ments; family/ child care leave; worker dispatch; job candidate screening and interview; probation; protection of corporate data from employees' infringement; companies’ protection and transfer of employees’ personal information; companies’ rights to employee inventions or works of author ship; whistleblowing; internal investigations and press conferences; and hiring of non-Japanese workers and their residing permits, etc.

Further, Thurgood specialises in workers’ accident compensation insurance; unemploy ment insurance; health insurance; welfare pension insurance; and defined benefit/ contribution pension plans. Moreover, Thurgood also focuses on labour and employment-related dispute resolu tion and litigation, including employment tribunal, unfair labour practices rectification procedures, and negotiations with various government offices.

Thurgood graduated from the University of Tokyo and Cornell Law School. He is a member of the Japanese Bar Examination Committee and the author of "Japanese Labour & Employment Law and Practice" (published by Daiichi-Hoki), an English-language guide to Japanese labour and employment law.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1013

kazutoshi.kakuyama@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Kazutoshi Kakuyama is a seasoned practitioner who is highly recom mended thanks to his expert advice to clients on labour law matters.

Otemachi Park Building

1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1071

hidekithurgood.kanoh@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

WWL says: Hideki Thurgood Kanoh enjoys a stellar reputation in the market for his top-tier advice to employers in labour and employment law issues

Nobuhito Sawasaki

Nobuhito Sawasaki is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. Mr. Sawasaki has been engaged in a wide range of practice areas since he joined the firm in 2001. He has advised domestic and foreign clients on labour law, pension law, mergers and acqui sitions, corporate law, the Personal Information Protection Act and financial regulations.

Recently, Mr. Sawasaki has been advising domestic and foreign clients on compliance with labour and employment laws, labour disputes and related matters such as the redundancy process, formulation of working rules and reformation of employee benefits schemes, the Personal Information Protection Act and business licensing issues where his contribution to domestic and foreign clients that handle personal information and proprietary information in the course of their business is invaluable.

Mr. Sawasaki is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1999), and is admitted to the bar in Japan. He is a member of the Management Lawyers Council and serves as Chairman of Labor Issues Review Committee.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Nobunori Ishizaki

Ishizaki & Yamanaka Law Offices office@iylaw.jp

Kazutoshi Kakuyama* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune kazutoshi.kakuyama@amt-law.com

Hideki Thurgood Kanoh* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hidekithurgood.kanoh@amt-law.com

Shione Kinoshita Daiichi Fuyo Law Office shione.k@daiichifuyo.gr.jp

Kazuki Okada Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo kazuki.okada@vl-tokyo.co.jp

Nobuhito Sawasaki* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune nobuhito.sawasaki@amt-law.com

Keiichiro Sue Blakemore & Mitsuki sue@blakemore.gr.jp

Setsuko Ueno Hirakawa International Law Office info@hilo.gr.jp

Shin Ushijima Ushijima & Partners shin.ushijima@ushijima-law.gr.jp

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1087 nobuhito.sawasaki@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Nobuhito Sawasaki earns worldwide endorsements as a top name in the field, experienced in advising on disputes and redundancy processes for national and international clients.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

LIFE SCIENCES

This chapter shines the light on 14 practitioners recognised for their work advising clients in the life sciences sector. They are highly sought after by clients in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, biotechnology and chemical sectors for their expertise in regulatory and IP-related matters.

Most Highly Regarded

Frederick Ch’en Hogan Lovells Tokyo

Frederick Ch’en of Hogan Lovells Horitsu Jimusho Gaikikuho Kyodo Jigyo is a highly skilled expert in biochemical and medical sciences, bringing deep industry knowledge to his IP practice.

Yasufumi Shiroyama of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune is an accomplished IP lawyer with “a good presence in the Japanese market” where he regularly advises clients in the health and chemical science sectors.

Eiji Katayama at Abe Ikubo & Katayama receives widespread endorsements for his work on patent law in advanced tech nology industries, such as electronics and biotechnology.

Mami Hino draws high praise as “a notable figure in IP within life sciences”, advising clients in a range of scientific sectors. She has a particularly deep knowl edge of the pharmaceutical industry.

Seiji Ohno of Ohno & Partners is highly sought after by clients in the biotechnology and phar maceutical sectors for his IP expertise.

Yoshio Kumakura at Nakamura & Partners is a seasoned IP specialist who boasts an excel lent track record in litigation for clients in the life sciences sector.

Kensuke Suzuki of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is a highly regarded practitioner with an impeccable knowledge of health sector regulations.

Kenji Utsumi is praised by commenta tors as “one of the first lawyers doing trans actional and regulatory work in Japan” with particular expertise in joint venture transac tions for pharmaceutical clients.

Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi of Yuasa and Hara ranks prominently for his IP practice, receiving wide-ranging endorsements for his specialist expertise in chemical sciences.

Satoru Nagasaka at TMI Associates is strongly recommended by the international community for his experience in IP litigation for clients in the pharmaceutical and health care industries.

Toshiharu Furukawa is a long-standing fixture in the market who brings industry expertise to his practice focusing on health care-related matters.

Akihiro Hironaka at Nishimura & Asahi is a distinguished practitioner with a wealth of experience advising clients in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Miguel Masaru Kitamura from kitamuraLaw is an extensively experienced practitioner, managing M&A and regulatory cases for clients in the life sciences sector.

John Tessensohn of SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO receives widespread acclaim for his work on patents and trademarks for a variety of clients, including those in the software and medical device industries.

Mami Hino Abe Ikubo & Katayama

Mami Hino, one of the leading partners in Abe Ikubo & Katayama, is an experienced and skilled patent attorney, especially in relation to life sciences. She has extensive experience in complex patent litiga tion as well as Japan Patent Office (JPO) proceed ings, involving biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and other life sciences, representing innovative companies.

Mami also has vast experience in prose cuting patent term extension (PTE) applications and PTE-related legal proceedings for life science products as well as regular patent applications protecting various aspects of life science products.

Based on her experience in litigation, JPO proceedings, and prosecution of patent applica tions and PTE applications, in combination with her abundant knowledge on regulatory requirements, Mami acts for and provides advice to clients on a variety of issues regarding life sciences prod ucts, such as evaluating core technologies for bio venture companies and helping them to develop their business; and assisting innovative companies in maximising exclusivity of their important prod ucts and avoiding unnecessary disputes to promote their products.

Mami handles multi-jurisdictional litigation cases representing US, European, Chinese, Korean and Japanese companies. Mami has been admitted to practise in New York since 2000, and is admitted to practise Japanese patent law before the JPO and Japanese courts.

Mami has been regularly ranked as a leading intellectual property lawyer in Japan by Chambers Global IAM Patent 1000 Who’s Who Legal and Best Lawyers

Akihiro Hironaka has been a partner in the dispute resolution group at Nishimura & Asahi, the largest law firm in Japan, since 2007. He has extensive experience in handling large-scale and complex dispute resolution matters, including product liability and mass tort claims, as well as contract disputes, for clients in the pharmaceutical, automo tive, and other industries. Akihiro has also handled cross-border disputes arising from M&A trans actions, and has substantial experience resolving cross-border disputes arising from termination of distribution agreements. He regularly advises Japanese and non-Japanese clients in the pharma ceutical and tobacco industries for product liability related matters.

In one notable case, he successfully defended a Japanese trading company against six large vicar ious liability lawsuits, involving total claims of JPY 48.3 billion, filed by claimants including an affiliate of a US-headquartered investment bank and a US hedge fund. These cases involved a ponzi scheme based on the sham restructuring of medical insti tution businesses. Akihiro also recovered JPY 13.3 billion for Shionogi & Co. in an action challenging a tax assessment relating to an in-kind contribution of a partnership interest in a complex cross-border reorganization for the development of a drug to fight AIDS. He is currently representing a Japanese subsidiary of a major, non-Japanese pharmaceu tical company in one of the largest product liability lawsuits filed in multiple courts in Japan.

Akihiro is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1993) and Harvard Law School (LLM, 2003), and is licensed to practice law in Japan and New York. He served as a Japanese district court judge from 1998 until 2000, and worked at Arnold & Porter (Washington, D.C.) from 2002 until 2003. Akihiro is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

He is the author of various books, chapters, and articles in the areas of litigation, product liability, international arbitration, and tax contro versies, including a contribution to Civil Procedure in Japan (Juris Publishing; edited by Yasuhei Taniguchi, et al.), and the Japan chapters of The Product Regulation and Liability Review and GAR Know-how: Litigation (Law Business Research).

The 2021 edition of WWL says: “[Akihiro Hironaka] enjoys a strong reputation as an ‘excel lent litigator who leads the Japanese pharmaceu tical products market.’’’ The 2020 edition says: “Peers say [Akihiro Hironaka] is ‘extremely stra tegic and an expert at leading a large team,’ adding: ‘There is no one else on his level.’” In 2021, Global Arbitration Review’s GAR 100 (14th Edition) said Akihiro “impressed with his ‘deep understanding of the peculiarities of Japanese companies’ and his ‘flexible mind’.”

Fukuoka Building, 9th Floor 2-8-7 Yaesu, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0028 Tel: +81 3 3273 2600 hino@aiklaw.co.jp www.aiklaw.co.jp

WWL says: Mami Hino draws high praise as “a notable figure in IP within life sciences”, advising clients in a range of scientific sectors. She has a particularly deep knowl edge of the pharmaceutical industry.

Akihiro has achieved significant results in large-scale international arbitrations, including emergency arbitrator proceedings, in Japan and abroad, under the rules of ICC, SIAC, AAA-ICDR, and JCAA. Akihiro represented a Japanese phar maceutical company in an arbitration against a Danish corporation concerning a contract dispute in Copenhagen. A Korean client advised by Akihiro received an award dismissing a substantial part of a European claimant’s claims in a dispute regarding a commercial continuous contract for supply and purchase of a pharmaceutical product.

In 2022, he was awarded the “Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year” at the ALB Japan Law Awards by Asian Legal Business, in 2021, and he was selected among the “Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business.

Otemon Tower, 1-1-2 Otemachi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8124

Tel: +81 3 6250 6344

a.hironaka@nishimura.com /www.nishimura.com/en/

WWL says: Akihiro Hironaka is a distinguished practitioner with a wealth of experience advising clients in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Akihiro Hironaka Nishimura & Asahi

Seiji Ohno Ohno & Partners

Seiji Ohno is a managing partner of Ohno & Partners. He is a licensed lawyer in Japan and New York. Mr Ohno specialises in intellectual property law and the fields of regulatory compliance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and handles the full range of services, including licensing, client coun selling and litigation, especially in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Mr Ohno has lectured on litigation and licensing under Japanese intellectual law and regula tory compliance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare before various groups in Japan and other countries, and has published many articles discussing various issues of Japanese patent law, trademark, utility model, copyright and unfair compe tition matters. Mr Ohno was an adjunct professor at the Chiba University faculty of Law and Economics in 2001 and 2002; at the Tsukuba University on the LLM programme in 2003; at the University of Tokyo Pharmaceutical faculty from 2004 to 2007; and at Keio Law School, teaching intellectual property law since 2007. He has also been an adjunct staff member of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from 2005 to 2009. After studying Sciences at the University of Tokyo College of Arts and Sciences, Mr Ohno received his LLB from the same university in 1985, and an LLM in patents and intellectual property from George Washington University Law School in 1995. He was a visiting attorney at Fenwick & West from 1994 to 1995; and at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP, both in Washington, DC, from 1995 to 1996.

Ohno & Partners is a unique firm, composed of bengoshi (attorneys-at-law) and benrishi (patent attorneys). The firm continues to provide a full range of legal services in all aspects of IP (patents, trade marks, design patents, copyrights, unfair competition, etc), including litigation, prosecution, licensing, IP due diligence, opinion and counselling.

Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building 21F 1-6-5 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-0005 Tel: +81 3 5218 2330 info@oslaw.org www.oslaw.org

WWL says: Seiji Ohno is highly sought after by clients in the biotechnology and pharma ceutical sectors for his IP expertise.

Yasufumi Shiroyama

Yasufumi Shiroyama is a partner of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.

Mr. Shiroyama has focused on domestic and global patent litigations in relation to wide variety of technologies including life science, telecom munication, electronics, software, medical device, and machinery, etc.  Further, as the head of the IP practice group of the firm, he supervises the firm's practice on patent and trademark filing and prosecution.

He also served as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo, School of Law for teaching intellectual property law during 2004-2022.

He graduated from the University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1992) and University of California, Davis (LL.M., 1998).  He was admitted to the bar in Japan (1994).

Kensuke Suzuki

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu

Kensuke Suzuki is a partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. He represents both domestic and international clients, with a special focus on cross-border transactions, with respect to phar maceutical, medical and healthcare business, M&A and corporate transactions, fund formation and management, and financial regulations. With expert knowledge of the Japanese pharmaceutical, medical device, food, medical and other various healthcare-related regulations, he advises inter national and domestic pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers, food and bever ages companies, as well as medical institutions and other healthcare-related businesses. He assists with a wide variety of regulatory matters, including regulatory interpretation and compliance issues, communication and interaction with Japanese regulatory authorities, clinical trials, licences and permits, NHI price listings, advertisements, as well as recalls, crisis management and investigations.

He also provides a wide range of advice (including deal structuring, due diligence, and contract drafting/negotiations) in connection with various business activities involving pharmaceu tical, medical and healthcare-related companies/ institutions, such as mergers and acquisitions, alli ances, business startups, financing, licensing and other commercial transactions.

He is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1999) and Stanford Law School (LLM, 2006). He was admitted to the Japan Bar in 2000 and worked as visiting attorney at Kirkland & Ellis (Chicago) from 2006 to 2007. He also worked at the Financial Services Agency of Japan from 2007 to 2009, where he worked on various Japanese financial regula tion reforms. He served as a special adviser to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare from 2014 to 2015. He is fluent in Japanese and English.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1038 yasufumi.shiroyama@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Yasufumi Shiroyama is an accomplished IP lawyer with “a good pres ence in the Japanese market” where he regularly advises clients in the health and chemical science sectors.

For further information please visit https:// www.noandt.com/en/lawyers/kensuke_suzuki/. JP Tower 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-7036

Tel: +81 3 6889 7226 kensuke_suzuki@noandt.com www.noandt.com

WWL says: Kensuke Suzuki is a highly regarded practitioner with an impeccable knowledge of health sector regulations.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Frederick Ch'en

Hogan Lovells Horitsu Jimusho Gaikokuho

Kyodo Jigyo frederick.chen@hoganlovells.com

Toshiharu Furukawa TMI Associates tfurukawa@tmi.gr.jp

Mami Hino* Abe Ikubo & Katayama hino@aiklaw.co.jp

Akihiro Hironaka* Nishimura & Asahi a.hironaka@nishimura.com

Eiji Katayama Abe Ikubo & Katayama eiji.katayama@aiklaw.co.jp

Miguel Masaru Kitamura kitamuraLaw masaru@kitamuralaw.com

Yoshio Kumakura Nakamura & Partners y_kumakura@nakapat.gr.jp

Satoru Nagasaka TMI Associates snagasaka@tmi.gr.jp

Seiji Ohno* Ohno & Partners info@oslaw.org

Yasufumi Shiroyama* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune yasufumi.shiroyama@amt-law.com

Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi Yuasa and Hara tsueyoshi@yuasa-hara.co.jp

Kensuke Suzuki* Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu kensuke_suzuki@noandt.com

John A Tessensohn SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO jtessensohn@shupat.gr.jp

Kenji Utsumi Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu kenji_utsumi@noandt.com

LITIGATION

This chapter sees 17 lawyers listed for their wide-ranging experience in litigation proceedings, ranging from antitrust law to disputes in the life sciences and financial sectors.

Most Highly Regarded

Hisaya Kimura

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Tokyo

Isomi Suzuki of Koga & Partners receives praise as a seasoned practitioner whose experience in litigation makes him “highly capable of handling complex cases”.

Yoichiro Yamakawa enjoys a fantastic reputation in the market for his skilled work in commercial litigation for a diverse range of corporations.

Hisaya Kimura at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is described as “a respected and experienced litigation attorney” whose broad practice ranges from antitrust to envi ronmental tort laws.

Masahiro Matsuoka is thoroughly recom mended by the international community as a top-tier litigator in dispute resolution.

Hiroyuki Tezuka at Nishimura & Asahi is widely recognised as a leading litigator with “a very good reputation” and regularly repre sents clients from the banking and media sectors.

Akihiro Hironaka is recognised as a top-tier litigator and negotiator with an impressive track-record representing clients in mass tort and insurance claims.

Ryan Goldstein of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is renowned for his business liti gation practice, described by market sources as having “a good understanding of the reality of Japanese corporations”.

Takashi Tanazawa at Deloitte Tohmatsu Tax Co is a top name, recommended for his work on disputes in the life sciences and IT sectors.

Kazuki Okada of Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo draws praise for his long-standing litigation practice, spanning privacy, defamation and employment disputes.

Naoki Kinami is a distinguished practi tioner with a wealth of experience in litiga tion proceedings for a number of national and international banks.

Isomi Suzuki Koga & Partners Tokyo

Hiroki Wakabayashi of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune is a favourite among peers and clients alike, who commend him for his “good practical knowledge as a former judge” which he applies to dispute cases for clients in the financial sector.

Kenichi Sadaka is renowned as “a very meticulous lawyer” who is appreciated for his “very reliable” investigative work on intra-company crimes and professional malpractice.

Alvin Hiromasa Shiozaki at Shiozaki Legal is highly recommended for his litigation work, specialising in corporate scandals and anti trust law.

Akihiro Hironaka Nishimura & Asahi

Akihiro Hironaka has been a partner in the dispute resolution group at Nishimura & Asahi, the largest law firm in Japan, since 2007. He has extensive experience in handling large-scale and complex dispute resolution matters, including product liability and mass tort claims, as well as contract disputes, for clients in the pharmaceutical, auto motive, and other industries. Akihiro has also handled cross-border disputes arising from M&A transactions, reinsurance claims, and disputes involving construction sites in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and has substantial experience resolving cross-border disputes arising from termi nation of distribution agreements.

In one notable case, he successfully defended a Japanese trading company against six large vicar ious liability lawsuits, involving total claims of JPY 48.3 billion, filed by claimants including an affiliate of a US-headquartered investment bank and a US hedge fund. Akihiro also recovered JPY 13.3 billion for Shionogi & Co. in an action challenging a tax assessment relating to an in-kind contribution of a partnership interest in a complex cross-border reorganization for the development of a drug to fight AIDS. He is currently representing a Japanese subsidiary of a major, non-Japanese pharmaceu tical company in one of the largest and most high profile product liability lawsuits filed in multiple courts in Japan.

Akihiro has achieved significant results in large-scale international arbitrations, including emergency arbitrator proceedings, in Japan and abroad, under the rules of ICC, SIAC, AAA-ICDR and JCAA. He also advises clients in connection with US civil actions (including class actions and discovery proceedings) and Japanese judicial assistance for foreign court proceedings.

Akihiro is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1993) and Harvard Law School (LLM, 2003), and is licensed to practice law in Japan and New York. He served as a Japanese district court judge from 1998 until 2000, and worked at Arnold & Porter (Washington, D.C.) from 2002 until 2003. Akihiro is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

He is the author of various books, chapters, and articles in the areas of litigation, product liability, international arbitration, and tax contro versies, including a contribution to Civil Procedure in Japan (Juris Publishing; edited by Yasuhei Taniguchi, et al.), and the Japan chapters of The Product Regulation and Liability Review and GAR Know-how: Litigation (Law Business Research).

The 2021 edition of WWL says: “[Akihiro Hironaka] enjoys a strong reputation as an ‘excel lent litigator who leads the Japanese pharmaceu tical products market.’’’ The 2020 edition says: “Peers say [Akihiro Hironaka] is ‘extremely stra tegic and an expert at leading a large team,’ adding: ‘There is no one else on his level.’” In 2021, Global Arbitration Review’s GAR 100 (14th Edition) said Akihiro “impressed with his ‘deep understanding of the peculiarities of Japanese companies’ and his ‘flexible mind’.”

In 2022, he was awarded the “Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year” at the ALB Japan Law Awards, in 2021, he was selected among the “Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business, and in 2015 and 2016, he was awarded Asialaw Asia-Pacific Dispute Resolution Awards: Disputes Star of the Year, Japan.

Kenichi Sadaka is a litigation partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, engaged mainly in international & domestic litigation, commercial arbitration and other dispute resolution procedures.

Mr. Sadaka has represented many Japanese and foreign companies in Japan in matters concerning product liability, insurance,  construc tion, real estate transactions, labor (collective bargaining with labor unions, sexual harassment, dismissals, labor accidents, etc.), antimonopoly issues, disputes among management, disputes related to financial products, intellectual prop erty issues (patents, copyrights, publicity rights, trademark, trade secrets, and unfair competition, etc.), debt collections, inheritance,  professional malpractice, termination of distributorship agree ments, international trade (import and export control), administrative remedies, and other matters.

Mr. Sadaka also has experience in several overseas litigations, and has provided assistance in discovery procedures in Japan and in relation to companies in Japan. In addition to these civil dispute activities, Mr. Sadaka has conducted internal investigations for several companies in relation to intra-company crimes and, based upon such scrutiny, exposed criminal accusations for embezzlement, fraud, and similar actions. Mr. Sadaka also provides day-to-day legal service for general corporate legal affairs.

Otemon Tower, 1-1-2 Otemachi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8124

Tel: +81 3 6250 6344 a.hironaka@nishimura.com www.nishimura.com

Otemachi Park Building

1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1035 kenichi.sadaka@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Kenichi Sadaka is renowned as “a very meticulous lawyer” who is appreci ated for his “very reliable” investigative work on intra-company crimes and professional malpractice.

WWL says: Akihiro Hironaka is recognised as a top-tier litigator and negotiator with an impressive track-record representing clients in mass tort and insurance claims.

Kenichi Sadaka Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Hiroki Wakabayashi

Hiroki Wakabayashi is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune with substantial expertise in dispute resolution, both in cross-border and domestic cases.

In the course of his legal career, Mr. Wakabayashi has spent about six years as a civil district court judge and more than a quarter-cen tury as a private practitioner. Employing his exten sive legal experience, Mr. Wakabayashi has skillfully represented Japanese and non-Japanese corpo rate clients in a wide array of transaction disputes, commercial disputes, professional liability disputes, white-collar crime-related disputes, labor relation disputes and other corporate-based disputes. Furthermore, Mr. Wakabayashi also has experience practicing in the areas of inheritance and domestic relations.

Mr. Wakabayashi is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School (LLM, 1993) and the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1987), and is admitted as a lawyer in Japan and the State of New York. From April 2016 to March 2019, in addition to practicing law, Mr. Wakabayashi taught at the University of Tokyo, School of Law.  He also served as an audit committee member of a major international accounting firm from December 2015 to August 2020.

He recently co-authored Chambers Litigation 2021 (Japan Chapter) - Law and Practice, the Chapter on professional responsibility of judges of the Law and Ethics of Jurists, 3rd edition(The University of Nagoya Press 2019) and Consumer litigation involving an international exclusive juris diction clause (Jurist.2016)  and contributed to Compendium on Multi-Tiered Dispute Resolution Clauses (International Bar Association website January 2016).

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Ryan Goldstein

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan ryangoldstein@quinnemanuel.com

Akihiro Hironaka* Nishimura & Asahi a.hironaka@nishimura.com

Hisaya Kimura Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hisaya_kimura@noandt.com

Naoki Kinami Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo naoki.kinami@vl-tokyo.co.jp

Shiro Kuniya Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners kuniya@ohebashi.com

Masahiro Matsuoka Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu masahiro_matsuoka@noandt.com

Yoshiaki Muto

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) Yoshiaki.Muto@bakermckenzie.com

Kazuki Okada Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo kazuki.okada@vl-tokyo.co.jp

Kenichi Sadaka* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune kenichi.sadaka@amt-law.com

Rika Sato Sato & Partners rsato@law-sandp.com

Mugi Sekido Mori Hamada & Matsumoto mugi.sekido@mhm-global.com

Alvin Hiromasa Shiozaki Shiozaki Legal email@law-shiozaki.com

Isomi Suzuki Koga & Partners isomisuzuki@kogapartnerslaw.com

Takashi Tanazawa Deloitte Tohmatsu Tax Co dtlegal@tohmatsu.co.jp

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1096 hiroki.wakabayashi@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hiroki Wakabayashi is a favourite among peers and clients alike, who commend him for his “good practical knowl edge as a former judge” which he applies to dispute cases for clients in the financial sector.

Hiroyuki Tezuka Nishimura & Asahi h.tezuka@nishimura.com

Hiroki Wakabayashi* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hiroki.wakabayashi@amt-law.com

Yoichiro Yamakawa Koga & Partners yamakawa@kogapartnerslaw.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

M&A AND GOVERNANCE

This year we identify the top 35 M&A and governance lawyers in Japan, singled out for their notable experience advising domestic and international companies on a wide range of transactions, regulatory inspections and governance disputes.

Most Highly Regarded

Takashi Toichi TMI Associates Tokyo

Nishimura & Asahi impresses with five list ings in this chapter.

Yoshiyuki Kizu wins widespread acclaim for his stellar M&A practice which sees him regularly handle high-value transactions and negotiations, particularly with a European element.

Asa Shinkawa secures endorsements from market observers who highlight her strong track record on merger filings, acqui sitions and divestitures.

Yo Ota is a top-drawer corporate lawyer with extensive experience advising interna tional and domestic corporations on hostile takeovers and shareholder disputes.

Stephen Bohrer impresses market sources with his first-rate practice spanning deal structuring, mergers and corporate controversies involving a foreign jurisdiction.

Kazuhiro Takei draws praise for his sweeping knowledge on internal investiga tions, directors’ duties, and strategic alliance issues.

Morrison & Foerster achieves three listings.

Gary Smith is a go-to name among tech sponsors, biomedical innovators and media giants who rely on his deep expertise in trans national buyouts and spin-offs.

Randy Laxer is commended by peers for his two decades of experience guiding clients through commercially critical M&A negotiations.

Kenneth Siegel is “well regarded” in the Japanese market for his notable experience representing high-technology companies in acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto performs well with seven listings.

Tomohiro Tsuchiya is an esteemed M&A lawyer with a wealth of experience managing multi-jurisdictional corporate reorganisa tions and business venture cases.

Yuto Matsumura runs a revered corpo rate practice which sees him routinely representing key Japanese corporations in corporate reorganisations and ensuing litigations.

Shuhei Uchida is a well-recognised “rising star” in the M&A sphere who excels across the full gamut of transactional matters.

Gaku Ishiwata receives widespread endorsements for his in-depth experience in M&A transactions and a range of corporate matters.

TMI Associates’ Takashi Toichi is lauded by market sources for his work on cross-border merger transactions and reorganisations.

Shuichi Namba with Momo-o Matsuo & Namba is well thought of by interviewees who find him “commercial, thorough and experienced” when it comes to contentious and advisory corporate proceedings.

Kenneth Lebrun of Davis Polk & Wardwell is a key figure in the market when it comes to syndicated and private M&A matters thanks to his in-depth knowledge of international corporate law.

Kenichi Fujinawa from Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu maintains a first-rate practice handling complex and high-profile mergers and disputes.

The “client-friendly” Kei Asatsuma possesses “great personality and communi cation skills” and is noted for his “high level of expertise” in complex corporate investments and acquisitions.

Jonathan Stradling at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is highly sought after by a diverse range of clients for his expertise in struc turing recapitalisations, transactions and dispositions.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune’s Hiroki Kodate is held in high esteem as “an M&A specialist” who is renowned for his stellar transactional advice to local and foreign clients.

Hirohito Akagami is a trusted advisor among executives, directors and boardroom members, hailed for his deep expertise in merger filings, tenders and regulatory audits.

Yoshiyuki Kizu

Nishimura & Asahi Tokyo

Yo Ota Nishimura & Asahi Tokyo

Asa Shinkawa Nishimura & Asahi Tokyo

Hirohito Akagami

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Hirohito Akagami is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, engaged principally in the fields of financial, corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on securities work and M&A. Typically, these transactions involve Mr. Akagami repre senting the purchasers for a number of tender offers, which he has been doing for more than 20 years. Another typical work example is to advise foreign and Japanese investors on Japanese corporate governance-related matters (including shareholder proposal and hostile takeover-related issues) and regulatory issues. He also advises clients in a number of domestic and cross-border syndicated loans, securities (including stock awards to officers) and other financial transactions and matters.

Mr. Akagami graduated from Tokyo University in 1986 and received his LL.M (with Merits) from University of London, London School of Economics and Political Science in 1993. He was also seconded to Slaughter and May, London and Brussels in 1993 and 1994. He is a member of the Dai-ni Tokyo Bar Association in Japan (1988 - the present) and speaks fluently in Japanese and English.

Gaku Ishiwata

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

Gaku Ishiwata is a partner at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto. His main areas of practice are mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate governance. He was involved in formulating the Fair M&A Guidelines and the Takeover Defence Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. He was also involved in amending the tender offer regulations as a member of the financial systems committee.

Recent examples of major M&A transactions on which he advised include: KKR's acquisition of Hitachi Transport System, Ltd. (US$5.9 billion); Invesco Ltd.’s acquisition of Invesco Office J-REIT (JPY 200 billion); Volvo Group’s sale of UD Trucks to Isuzu Motors (JPY 243 billion); and Mizkan's acqui sition of Ragu and Bertolli Brands from Unilever (US$2.15 billion).

Mr Ishiwata is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1995) and the University of Chicago (LLM, 2001). He worked for Davis Polk & Wardwell (2001–2002) and is admitted in both Japan and New York. He served as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics (2019-2022).

Hiroki Kodate is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and is principally involved in the field of corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on M&A and corporate governance, particularly cross-border M&A transactions and joint ventures where he represents both Japanese and non-Jap anese clients, a wide range of issues concerning corporate governance on Japanese listed compa nies. In addition to his experience at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he has served as an attorney at the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice of Japan (2002 to 2005), where he was engaged in the modernisation of Japanese corporate law. He also worked at Slaughter and May in London from 2000 to 2001.

Mr. Kodate served as a member of the Working Group for the Study Council for Promoting Translation of Japanese Laws and Regulations into Foreign Languages at the Cabinet Secretariat (2005 to 2006).

Mr. Kodate received his LLM from Harvard Law School (2000) and his LLB from the University of Tokyo (1994).

He is a member of both the Daini Tokyo Bar Association in Japan (since 1996) and the New York Bar (since 2001) and speaks Japanese and English fluently.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1027

hirohito.akagami@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hirohito Akagami is a trusted advisor among executives, directors and boardroom members, hailed for his deep expertise in merger filings, tenders and regulatory audits.

Marunouchi Park Building 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8222 Tel: +81 3 5223 7753 gaku.ishiwata@mhm-global.com www.mhmjapan.com

WWL says: Gaku Ishiwata receives wide spread endorsements for his in-depth expe rience in M&A transactions and a range of corporate matters.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1047 hiroki.kodate@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hiroki Kodate is held in high esteem as "an M&A specialist” who is renowned for his stellar transactional advice to local and foreign clients.

Hiroki Kodate

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

DIRECTORY

Randy Steven Laxer

Morrison & Foerster LLP rlaxer@mofo.com

Kenneth J Lebrun

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP ken.lebrun@davispolk.com

Kenichi Masuda*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune kenichi.masuda@amt-law.com

Yuto Matsumura

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto yuto.matsumura@mhm-global.com

Hiroshi Mitoma

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hiroshi_mitoma@noandt.com

Tsuyoshi Nagahama

Kenichi Masuda is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, with extensive experience in the area of corporate/M&A. In particular, he regularly advises local and foreign clients in a broad spectrum of businesses and industries on mergers and acqui sitions of listed and unlisted businesses, joint ventures and other investments (including crossborder M&A's and other transactions). His scope of experience also includes advising private equity or venture capital funds on investments in various business sectors (including high-tech businesses, as well as distressed companies), establishing venture capital or other private equity funds, as well as assisting and representing venture companies in various aspects such as start-up, equity finance and initial public offerings.

In addition, he regularly provides legal services in relation to general corporate matters (including corporate governance and compliance issues for listed companies) and commercial matters, as well as employment and labor union relations, including representation of client companies at the court and other dispute resolution forum. Among others, he has a profound experience and knowledge of corpo rate governance issues and independent investiga tion of suspected compliance issues.

Mr. Masuda is also a board member of several Japanese listed companies.

Mr. Masuda is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1986) and the University of Chicago Law School (LLM, 1992). He is admitted to the Bar in both Japan (1988) and New York (1993). He taught M&A, corporate and business laws as a visiting professor at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics of The University of Tokyo (2011-2013, 20142016, 2019-2022). He authored numerous academic articles on corporate/M&A.

Hirohito Akagami*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hirohito.akagami@amt-law.com

Dale M Araki

K&L Gates Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise dale.araki@klgates.com

Kei Asatsuma

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu kei_asatsuma@noandt.com

Stephen D Bohrer Nishimura & Asahi s.bohrer@nishimura.com

Edward Cole Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer edward.cole@freshfields.com

Kenichi Fujinawa Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu ken_fujinawa@noandt.com

Keiji Hatano Sullivan & Cromwell LLP hatanok@sullcrom.com

Osamu Hirakawa

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune osamu.hirakawa@amt-law.com

Hiroki Inoue

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hiroki_inoue@noandt.com

Gaku Ishiwata* Mori Hamada & Matsumoto gaku.ishiwata@mhm-global.com

Masakazu Iwakura TMI Associates iwakura-plus@tmi.gr.jp

Satoshi Kawai Mori Hamada & Matsumoto satoshi.kawai@mhm-global.com

Yoshiyuki Kizu Nishimura & Asahi y_kizu@jurists.co.jp

Hiroki Kodate* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hiroki.kodate@amt-law.com

Hideaki Kubori Hibiya Park Law Offices hideaki.kubori@hibiyapark.net

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune tsuyoshi.nagahama@amt-law.com

Shuichi Namba

Momo-o Matsuo & Namba namba@mmn-law.gr.jp

Atsushi Oishi

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto atsushi.oishi@mhm-global.com

Yo Ota

Nishimura & Asahi y.ota@nishimura.com

Kenichi Sekiguchi

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto kenichi.sekiguchi@mhm-global.com

Asa Shinkawa Nishimura & Asahi a.shinkawa@nishimura.com

Kenneth A Siegel Morrison & Foerster LLP ksiegel@mofo.com

Gary Mitchel Smith Morrison & Foerster LLP gsmith@mofo.com

Jonathan Stradling

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP jonathan.stradling@stblaw.com

Shintaro Takai Takai & Partners takai@tps-law.com

Kazuhiro Takei

Nishimura & Asahi k_takei@jurists.co.jp

Takashi Toichi TMI Associates takashi_toichi@tmi.gr.jp

Tomohiro Tsuchiya

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto tomohiro.tsuchiya@mhm-global.com

Harumichi Uchida TMI Associates harumichi_uchida@tmi.gr.jp

Shuhei Uchida

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto shuhei.uchida@mhm-global.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1026 kenichi.masuda@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Kenichi Masuda is a top name in the M&A market, lauded for his first-rate counsel to listed and private corporations on mergers, divestments and joint ventures.

Kenichi Masuda

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

MEDIATION

This year’s research recognises four practitioners in the mediation market who are seasoned experts in a range of complex commercial disputes.

Douglas Freeman at the Law Offices of Douglas K Freeman is internationally renowned as a leading name in the region and stands out for his “experienced and diligent” mediation practice.

James Claxton of Waseda University enjoys a fantastic reputation in the market for his skilled mediation work and advises clients in a range of industries, from construction to investment.

Junya Naito from Momo-o Matsuo & Namba receives widespread endorsements from market commentators for his work in commercial dispute resolution.

DIRECTORY

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

James Claxton Waseda University jclaxton@claxtonidr.com

Douglas K Freeman Law Offices of Douglas K. Freeman Dfreeman@dkfreemanlaw.com

Junya Naito Momo-o Matsuo & Namba naito@mmn-law.gr.jp

PRIVATE FUNDS

Here, we feature 15 first-class practitioners who demonstrate their excellence across the full gamut of fund manage ment and related regulatory matters.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune excels with three listings.

Koichi Miyamoto is “thoughtful, thorough and responsive” when it comes to “extremely complex and demanding matters”.

Kunihiko Morishita is a polished practi tioner in corporate finance law, lauded for his first-class counsel on banking, investment funds and fintech matters.

Taro Tsunoda is a well-regarded corpo rate finance lawyer, commended for his expe rience working on financial transactions and arbitrations.

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto performs well with three individuals listed.

Mitsue Tanaka is a standout practitioner in the market who is recognised by peers for her expertise in private equity matters.

Yasuzo Takeno is well renowned for his experience in high-value transactions, particularly those with a European element.

Ken Miura is held in high regard for his first-rate practice covering financial corpo rate matters, including portfolio manage ment, regulatory inspection and transactions.

David Azcue of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett receives praise for his experience advising on capital raising structures for blue-chip investment houses.

Christopher Wells with Morgan Lewis & Bockius secures endorsements from foreign investors, trust advisors and credit agencies for his well-established funds practice.

Tomoko Fuminaga is frequently sought after by leading financial institutions for her

work on the structuring and distribution of funds and related disputes.

At King & Spalding, Mark Davies is described by interviewees as an “impressively respon sive” practitioner with “encyclopaedic knowl edge on Japanese investment funds”.

Kohei Ishida from Nishimura & Asahi is “a notable name” in the market, regularly engaged in high-profile securitisations, acquisitions, and venture projects.

Koichi Miyamoto

Koichi Miyamoto is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune who practices primarily in the field of investment funds, asset management, banking and securities as well as payment services, Fintech and various types of domestic and international financial transactions. He has extensive experience in providing legal services and advice in relation to structuring, formation and marketing of domestic and foreign investment funds, including private equity funds, venture capital funds, mezzanine funds, hedge funds, real estate funds and infra structure funds. He regularly advises a number of multinational financial institutions in relation to regulatory issues under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, the Banking Act and the Act on Investment Trusts and Investment Corporations and other financial laws and regulations.

In addition to his professional experience at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he has also worked for the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission of Japan (from 2008 to 2010), where he was in charge of inspection of financial instruments business operators.

Mr. Miyamoto is a graduate of Keio University (LL.B, 2003) and University of Chicago (LL.M, 2012), and is admitted to the Bar in Japan (2005) and New York (2013). His recent publications include co-authoring the Japan chapter of “The Legal 500: Alternative Investment Funds Country Comparative Guide” (Legalease Ltd.), the Japan chapter of “The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Alternative Investment Funds 2022 10th Edition” (Global Legal Group), and “Retail invest ment funds in Japan: regulatory overview” “Hedge funds in Japan: regulatory overview” (Thomson Reuters Practical Law).

Kunihiko Morishita Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Kunihiko Morishita is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and works primarily in the areas of domestic and international banking, securities and asset management. He has been named as a leading lawyer by several publications including the International Financial Law Review and the Chambers Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers. He is a member of the Financial Law Board, an influential advisory body regarding financial law matters sponsored by the Bank of Japan. Mr Morishita has extensive experience representing financial institutions, including investment management companies, before the Financial Services Agency and other Japanese regulatory authorities. He regularly advises a number of multi national financial institutions, located within and outside Japan, in relation to regulatory issues in the fields of securities, trusts, insurance and asset management.

Keiko Shimizu Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu

Keiko Shimizu is a partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. Her practice focuses on, among other areas, securities and financial services regu lations; she advises asset management companies, securities brokers, banks and other financial insti tutions on corporate governance, regulatory and compliance matters. She also advises clients on complex regulatory issues and day-to-day compli ance matters.

In addition, she advises on the formation, marketing and operation of fund vehicles such as investment trusts, hedge funds, fund of funds and alternative investment funds. She has exten sive experience in formation of various onshore and offshore fund vehicles. Her experience also includes representing institutional investors in their investment in onshore and offshore private funds and managed accounts across a range of asset classes.

She also handles a variety of corporate trans actions and general corporate affairs, and advises clients on data protection matters (including compliance with Personal Data Protection Act of Japan).

She earned an LLB from the University of Tokyo in 1996 and an LLM from Columbia Law School in 2003. She was admitted to practise in Japan in 1998, and worked at the New York office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP as a visiting attorney in 2003. She was a partner of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu NY LLP from 2015 to March 2018.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1222

koichi.miyamoto@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Koichi Miyamoto is “thoughtful, thorough and responsive” when it comes to “extremely complex and demanding matters”.

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1020 kunihiko.morishita@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Kunihiko Morishita is a polished practitioner in corporate finance law, lauded for his first-class counsel on banking, investment funds and fintech matters.

JP Tower

2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-7036 Tel: +81 3 6889 7000 keiko_shimizu@noandt.com www.noandt.com

WWL says: Keiko Shimizu is celebrated as “the best in the Japanese private funds field” who provides clients with “technically superb, concise and commercial” advice.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Taro Tsunoda

Taro Tsunoda is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune handling a wide range of corporate and financial matters with a focus on cross-border transactions involving Japanese entities. In addi tion, he regularly advises foreign investment managers and sponsors on investment fund related matters. Mr. Tsunoda is a graduate of Waseda University (LL.B, 1992), University of Michigan (LL.M, 2001) and University of Chicago (LL.M, 2002). He is admitted to practice in Japan and New York.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

David Azcue

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP dazcue@stblaw.com

Mark Davies

King & Spalding Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi Jimusho mdavies@kslaw.com

Tomoko Fuminaga

Morgan Lewis & Bockius tomoko.fuminaga@morganlewis.com

Etienne Gelencsér

Shearman & Sterling LLP etienne.gelencser@shearman.com

Kohei Ishida Nishimura & Asahi k.ishida@nishimura.com

Kei Ito

Nishimura & Asahi k_ito@jurists.co.jp

Ken Miura

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto ken.miura@mhm-global.com

Koichi Miyamoto*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune koichi.miyamoto@amt-law.com

Kunihiko Morishita*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune kunihiko.morishita@amt-law.com

Keiko Shimizu*

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu keiko_shimizu@noandt.com

Yasuzo Takeno

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto yasuzo.takeno@mhm-global.com

Mitsue Tanaka

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto mitsue.tanaka@mhm-global.com

Taro Tsunoda*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

Christopher P Wells

Morgan Lewis & Bockius chris.wells@morganlewis.com

Koji Yamamoto

Withers Bengoshi Houjin koji.yamamoto@withersworldwide.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1044 www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Taro Tsunoda is a well-regarded corporate finance lawyer, commended for his experience working on financial trans actions and arbitrations.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

PRODUCT LIABILITY DEFENCE

This year, WWL highlights nine practitioners identified for their outstanding work in product liability defence.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu impresses with three listings.

Junichi Ikeda is a go-to product liability specialist, highly sought after by clients from the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Jun Kanda is celebrated in the market as “rigorous, likeable and extremely hard-working”.

Minoru Ota is widely regarded as a leading figure with significant expertise in assisting financial institutions.

At Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo, Kazuki Okada is “a reputable lawyer”, revered for his skill and experience in product liability litigation.

Akihiro Hironaka of Nishimura & Asahi is “a giant of the bar” who is renowned for “handling the most complicated personal injury litigation in Japan”.

Hirohiko Ikeda with Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners has amassed a wealth of experi ence in product liability defence, highlighted

in particular for his “great ability to lead large product liability cases”.

Yoshihiro Takatori at Kasumigaseki International Law Office is a renowned prac titioner with deep expertise in domestic and cross-border product liability cases.

Noriko Higashizawa at City-Yuwa Partners is distinguished for her notable expertise representing global companies in product liability litigation across a multitude of industries.

Akihiro Hironaka Nishimura & Asahi

Akihiro Hironaka has been a partner in the dispute resolution group at Nishimura & Asahi, the largest law firm in Japan, since 2007. He has extensive experience in handling large-scale and complex dispute resolution matters, including product liability and mass tort claims, as well as contract disputes, for clients in the pharmaceu tical, automotive, and other industries. Akihiro has also handled cross-border disputes arising from M&A transactions, reinsurance claims, and disputes involving construction sites in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and has substantial experience resolving cross-border disputes arising from termination of distribution agreements. In one notable case, he successfully defended a Japanese trading company against six large vicar ious liability lawsuits, involving total claims of JPY 48.3 billion, filed by claimants including an affiliate of a US-headquartered investment bank and a US hedge fund.

In the area of product liability cases, Akihiro successfully represented a foreign automotive company in a significant product liability case where a defect was alleged in a steering system which caused a fatal accident. Akihiro also success fully represented a Japanese automotive company in a product liability case where a defect was alleged in a diesel engine which caused a fire in the vehicle. He is currently representing a Japanese subsidiary of a major, non-Japanese pharmaceu tical company in one of the largest and most high profile product liability lawsuits filed in multiple courts in Japan. He is also representing a Japanese automotive company in ADR proceedings filed by more than 100 claimants claiming damages due to asthma caused by diesel emissions. He regularly advises clients in the pharmaceutical, automotive and tobacco industries for product liability issues.

Akihiro is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1993) and Harvard Law School (LLM, 2003), and is licensed to practice law in Japan and New York. He served as a Japanese district court judge from 1998 until 2000, and worked at Arnold & Porter (Washington, D.C.) from 2002 until 2003. Akihiro is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

He is the author of various books, chapters, and articles in the areas of litigation, product liability, international arbitration, and tax contro versies, including a contribution to Civil Procedure in Japan (Juris Publishing; edited by Yasuhei Taniguchi, et al.), and the Japan chapters of The Product Regulation and Liability Review and GAR Know-how: Litigation (Law Business Research).

The 2021 edition of WWL says: “[Akihiro Hironaka] enjoys a strong reputation as an ‘excel lent litigator who leads the Japanese pharmaceu tical products market.’’’ The 2020 edition says: “Peers say [Akihiro Hironaka] is ‘extremely stra tegic and an expert at leading a large team,’ adding: ‘There is no one else on his level.’” In 2021, Global Arbitration Review’s GAR 100 (14th Edition) said Akihiro “impressed with his ‘deep understanding of the peculiarities of Japanese companies’ and his ‘flexible mind’.”

In 2022, he was awarded the “Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year” at the ALB Japan Law Awards by Asian Legal Business, in 2021, he was selected among the “Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business, and in 2015 and 2016, he was awarded Asialaw Asia-Pacific Dispute Resolution Awards: Disputes Star of the Year, Japan.

DIRECTORY

Otemon Tower, 1-1-2 Otemachi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8124

Tel: +81 3 6250 6344 a.hironaka@nishimura.com www.nishimura.com

WWL says: Akihiro Hironaka is "a giant of the bar" who is renowned for "handling the most complicated personal injury litigation in Japan".

Noriko Higashizawa City-Yuwa Partners noriko.higashizawa@city-yuwa.com

Akihiro Hironaka*

Nishimura & Asahi a.hironaka@nishimura.com

Hirohiko Ikeda

Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners ikeda@ohebashi.com

Junichi Ikeda

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu junichi_ikeda@noandt.com

Jun Kanda

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu jun_kanda@noandt.com

Kazuki Okada Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo kazuki.okada@vl-tokyo.co.jp

Minoru Ota

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu Yoshihiro Takatori

Kasumigaseki International Law Office, International Arbitration Chambers ytakatori@kiaal.com

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

PROJECT FINANCE

This year’s research features 13 outstanding project finance lawyers, highlighted for their achievements in guiding their clients through a wide range of project risks and financing matters.

At White & Case, Paul Harrison is touted for his impressive work on multibillion-dollar energy project financings, particularly on LNG matters.

Toshio Dokei is regularly sought after by leading financial institutions for his top-notch advice on fund and loan structures.

Tomohiro Sato of Nishimura & Asahi is high lighted by respondents for his vast knowl edge on infrastructure and natural resources project financing.

From Allen & Overy, Scott Neilson is “an exceptional lending finance lawyer” who has

“an abundance of experience representing Japanese export credit agencies”.

Hiroshi Maeda at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto enjoys a stellar reputation for his strong prac tice spanning syndicated and private financ ings for energy and mass infrastructure undertakings.

Takahiro Kobayashi is key player in the Japanese market, praised by peers for his guidance on high-value energy transactions and partnership schemes.

Aled Davies with Milbank earns effusive praise for his extensive experience in major

construction and energy sector matters.

Baker McKenzie’s Naoaki Eguchi is held in high regard for his impressive project finance practice encompassing high-profile capital raisings for power projects.

Takashi Akahane at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune maintains a sterling reputation in the project finance sphere thanks to his impeccable knowledge of asset manage ment, structured finance and project development.

Biography

Takashi Akahane

Takashi Akahane is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, whose practice includes Project Finance, PFI/PPP (public private partnership), procurement and various financial transactions. Mr. Akahane has represented national govern ment, local governments, private companies and financiers in numerous PFI/PPP and procurement projects including all prison projects initiated by the Ministry of Justice, the New Kansai International Airport project, currently the largest ever PFI/ concession project in Japan and many more. Mr. Akahane also advises various Japanese minis tries, municipalities, multinationals and private sector regarding social and economic infrastruc ture projects.  He also advises on various energy/ resources projects.

In addition to his experience in private prac tice, he has served as counsel from 1997-1998 in the Office of the General Counsel of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (London Headquarters) during which he assisted in the modernization of the commercial laws of tran sitional countries, including central Asian coun tries of the former Soviet Union. Mr. Akahane has also served, inter alia, as the Expert Member of the Committee for Promotion of PFI in the Prime Minister's Office (PFI committee) , as a Member of the Review Committee for Airport Operations, under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Mr. Akahane is a graduate of the Tokyo University (LL.B., 1987) and Georgetown University (LL.M., 1994) and is admitted to the Bars of Japan (1989) and New York (1995). He currently sits as a member of the Georgetown Law Asian Law Alumni Advisory Board and also serves as advisor to the President of Tokyo University.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Takashi Akahane*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune takashi.akahane@amt-law.com

Aled Davies Milbank LLP adavies@milbank.com

Toshio Dokei White & Case LLP tdokei@whitecase.com

Naoaki Eguchi Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) naoaki.eguchi@bakermckenzie.com

Etienne Gelencsér Shearman & Sterling LLP etienne.gelencser@shearman.com

Paul Harrison White & Case LLP pharrison@whitecase.com

Rintaro Hirano Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu rintaro_hirano@noandt.com

Takahiro Kobayashi Mori Hamada & Matsumoto takahiro.kobayashi@mhmjapan.com

Hiroshi Maeda Mori Hamada & Matsumoto hiroshi.maeda@mhm-global.com

John McClenahan King & Spalding Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi Jimusho jmcclenahan@kslaw.com

Scott Neilson Allen & Overy Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo Horitsu Jimusho scott.neilson@allenovery.com

Tomohiro Sato Nishimura & Asahi to_sato@jurists.co.jp

Michael J Yoshii Latham & Watkins LLP michael.yoshii@lw.com

Otemachi Park Building

1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1028 takashi.akahane@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Takashi Akahane maintains a sterling reputation in the project finance sphere thanks to his impeccable knowledge of asset management, structured finance and project development.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

RESTRUCTURING & INSOLVENCY

This year, WWL identifies the eight leading restructuring and insolvency lawyers operating in the Japanese market.

Most highly regarded

Shinichiro Abe Kasumigaseki International Law Office International Arbitration Chambers Tokyo

Shinichiro Abe at Kasumigaseki International Law Office, International Arbitration Chambers sits among the foremost practi tioners in the market thanks to his renowned international corporate restructuring and insolvency practice.

Hideyuki Sakai with Anderson Mori & Tomotsune secures widespread commen dations thanks to his strong track record on bankruptcy, workouts and insolvency proceedings.

Fujiaki Mimura earns plaudits from market sources for his experience in a range of high-profile insolvency, corporate

restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings.

TMI Associates’ Mitsue Aizawa frequently advises distressed companies on critical turnaround transactions, workouts and bankruptcy.

Eiji Katayama from Abe Ikubo & Katayama is “extremely experienced” in bankruptcy issues where he “has the trust of judges”.

The “sharp and collected” Michihiro Mori of AI-EI Law Firm comes highly recommended by respondents for his adept handling of

major insolvency and corporate reorganisa tion filings.

Satoshi Inoue with Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is “an authoritative voice on financial transactions” and a “regular advisor to Japanese banks”.

Nobuaki Kobayashi is a senior statesman in the restructuring and insolvency sphere who brings decades of experience to his well-established practice.

Fujiaki Mimura

Fujiaki Mimura is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune who specializing in insolvency and restructuring practice as a court-appointed trustee in numerous cases throughout Japan. His prac tice focuses on all aspects of insolvency, corporate reorganization, civil rehabilitation, bankruptcy, voluntary liquidation and other insolvency proce dures. His industry focus includes corporations throughout Japan as well as hotels, healthcare and other real estate firms. Mr. Mimura also advises clients on shareholder rights, compliance and procedures for Japanese annual shareholder meet ings since he has served as a shareholder-meeting examiner and statutory auditor.

In addition to his insolvency practice, he also has significant experience as a commercial liti gator. In 1991, he established the Law Offices of Fujiaki Mimura which later merged to become Sakai & Mimura.

DIRECTORY

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1022 fujiaki.mimura@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Fujiaki Mimura earns plaudits from market sources for his experience in a range of high-profile insolvency, corporate restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings.

Shinichiro Abe

Kasumigaseki International Law Office, International Arbitration Chambers sabe@kiaal.com

Mitsue Aizawa TMI Associates maizawa@tmi.gr.jp

Satoshi Inoue Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu s_inoue@noandt.com

Eiji Katayama

Abe Ikubo & Katayama eiji.katayama@aiklaw.co.jp

Nobuaki Kobayashi Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu nobuaki_kobayashi@noandt.com

Fujiaki Mimura*

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune fujiaki.mimura@amt-law.com

Michihiro Mori AI-EI Law Firm info@aieilaw.co.jp

Hideyuki Sakai Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hideyuki.sakai@amt-law.com

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

This chapter lists three highly esteemed practitioners who stand out in the sports and entertainment sectors for their first-rate work on matters ranging from IP and data protection to financing and contractual issues.

Takuya Yamazaki at Field-R Law Offices is a well-established figure in the market who maintains a renowned sports and entertain ment practice, particularly excelling in foot ball matters,

Ian Scott of Atsumi & Sakai is a top-tier sports lawyer, highlighted for his “knowl edge, efficiency, availability, consistency and attention to detail”.

Hitoshi Ishihara with Anderson Mori & Tomotsune is “a well-known practitioner” in the market who impresses peers with his vast experience advising on Japanese gaming law.

Biography

Hitoshi Ishihara

Hitoshi Ishihara is partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune providing pertinent and timely advice to various international and domestic companies including operators of e-commerce, advertisement, online games, e-gaming, professional and amateur sports, social games, and online gambling. In the intellectual property field, Mr. Ishihara has exten sive experience in IP licensing and transactions and also provides advice on regulatory issues in addition to his strength in data protection and privacy.

He also have extensive experience in sports and entertainment related matters, advising various stakeholders, including sports federations, sports clubs and professional athletes regarding the formation of regulations, anti-doping matters, club management, licensing and player transactions.

His distinctive English skill, backed by over seven years experience in the United States, enables him to effectively bridge the linguistic and cultural gap faced by his clients which matches the needs of various international and foreign-affiliated clients establishing and doing business in Japan.

Mr. Ishihara also has extensive focus and knowledge concerning the Japanese casino and gaming laws including the Japanese Integrated Resort (IR) Act, providing advice concerning the Japanese IR Act and gaming regulations to various casino operators, equipment manufac turers, foreign law firms, and state agencies. Mr. Ishihara has also been named "Leading Gaming Law Advisor of the Year" by various publications numerous times.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Hitoshi Ishihara* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hitoshi.ishihara@amt-law.com

Ian Scott

Atsumi & Sakai ian.scott@aplaw.jp

Takuya Yamazaki Field-R Law Offices info@field-r.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136

Tel: +81 3 6775 1114 hitoshi.ishihara@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hitoshi Ishihara is "a wellknown practitioner" in the market who impresses peers with his vast experience advising on Japanese gaming law.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

TRADE & CUSTOMS

This year, we highlight seven trade and customs lawyers who are distinguished by their excellent work on a range of matters, including antidumping and countervailing duties, international trade and customs disputes.

Kozo Kawai at Nishimura & Asahi stands out in the market as “a number one specialist in trade regulation”.

Kojiro Fujii is singled out by peers as “an excellent lawyer” who is “particularly active in trade remedy investigations”.

Takuro Awazu of Soga Law Office is recog nised for his “great expertise” and vast expe rience in domestic and international trade and customs issues.

Takashi Soga has “great experience in international trade” and is renowned as “a highly qualified trade lawyer”.

Mitsuo Matsushita with Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is highly sought after as “a deeply experienced practitioner” who is “a senior statesman on trade and WTO issues”.

Hiroshige Nakagawa at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune comes “highly recommended”

for his top-tier practice advising Japanese and foreign clients in international trade and anti-dumping investigations.

Junko Suetomi at Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) garners wide spread praise for her “deep knowledge and experience in international trade”.

Biography

Hiroshige Nakagawa is a partner handling a wide range of corporate matters with a focus on crossborder transactions involving Japanese entities. He also handles China-related matters, especially in corporate and M&A transaction. In addition, he regularly advises foreign and domestic clients on customs and trade matters, including antidumping investigation, anti-subsidy/countervailing duty investigation and safeguard investigation.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Takuro Awazu Soga Law Office awazu@sogalaw.com

Kojiro Fujii Nishimura & Asahi k_fujii@jurists.co.jp

Kozo Kawai Nishimura & Asahi k_kawai@jurists.co.jp

Mitsuo Matsushita Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu mitsuo_matsushita@noandt.com

Hiroshige Nakagawa* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hiroshige.nakagawa@amt-law.com Takashi Soga Soga Law Office soga@sogalaw.com

Junko Suetomi Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) junko.suetomi@bakermckenzie.com

Otemachi Park Building 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8136 Tel: +81 3 6775 1060 hiroshige.nakagawa@amt-law.com www.amt-law.com

WWL says: Hiroshige Nakagawa is highly recommended by market respondents for his top-tier practice advising Japanese and foreign clients on international trade and anti-dumping investigations.

Hiroshige Nakagawa

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune

TRANSPORT - Aviation

This chapter identifies the top 14 lawyers in the Japanese aviation sector who are listed for their standout work on a range of contentious and non-contentious matters.

Most Highly Regarded

Keisuke Imon WFW Law Office Tokyo

K&L Gates Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise performs well with four listings this year.

Eiko Grieger is held in high esteem for his outstanding work on high-value aviation finance transactions.

Takahiro Kawaguchi is celebrated as a seasoned lawyer with vast experience in aviation finance.

The “experienced” and “knowledge able” Tsuguhito Omagari is highlighted for his top-tier aviation finance practice which sees him regularly engaged in negotiating domestic and cross-border transactions.

Robert Melson Jr is singled out for his expertise in M&A and finance issues in the aviation sector.

Nishimura & Asahi stands out with three lawyers listed.

Kentaro Miyagi is highlighted as “a cooperative practitioner”, revered for his significant expertise in leasing and financing transactions in the aviation sector.

Kosuke Shibukawa is recognised for his “deep legal knowledge” which he applies to complex aviation finance transactions.

Katsu Sengoku enjoys a stellar reputa tion in the market as “a leading authority on aircraft leasing in Japan”.

Keisuke Imon with WFW Law Office regularly advises domestic and international clients on a broad range of asset finance matters across the aviation industry.

Shusuke Fukunaga is “a great lawyer” who is well versed in high-profile domestic and international aviation finance transactions.

Hisao Hirose at Squire Patton Boggs - Squire Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo Horitsu Jimusho is described as “a very experienced player in the market” when it comes to aircraft finance and lease transactions.

Biography

Shuji Yamaguchi

Okabe & Yamaguchi

SHUJI YAMAGUCHI graduated from Kyoto University. He was qualified in 1982. He worked in Akagi Law Firm and Clyde & Co. UK. He established Okabe & Yamaguchi in 1990.

He is specialized in cargo claims, charterparty disputes, aviation claim, domestic transport claims, maritime insurance claims, litigations, arbitrations and other maritime related cases. He is a regular speaker in several international conferences, Inter Pacific Bar Association, International Union of Marine Insurance, Asian Maritime Law Conference, International Dispute Resolution Conference and Cargo Recovery Conference. He was the chair of the Maritime Law Committee of Inter-Pacific Bar Association from 2009 to 2011. He was a Counselor of Commercial Code (Transport and Maritime Law) for Ministry of Justice.

He is a visiting professor of The Chuo Law School. He is a member of Maritime Law Association, International Private Law Association, Aviation Law Association and The Average Adjuster Association of Japan. He is a co- author and contrib utor of  “Judgment Commentary of Civil Code Vol.1 General Rules” (Seirin Shoin)”, “International Cargo Insurance” (Informa), “Maritime Law Handbook” (Kluwer), “Getting the Deal Through Shipping in 35 jurisdictions”, “Yoken Jijitsu Taikei Maritime Law” (Daiichi Hoki) , “New International Jurisdiction Law from practical points of view” (Shoji Homu), “ Rotterdam Rules in Asia Pacific Region” (Shoji Homu), “Handbook for International Multi-Modal Transport” (JIFFA),” Leading Cases in International Business (Yuhikaku),” “Leading Cases in International Private Law 3rd edition (Yuhikaku)” etc. He is an arbitrator of Tokyo Maritime Arbitration Commission and Japan Commercial Arbitration Association and Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration.

501, Eiha Shinkawa 5-17, Shinkawa 1-chome Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0033 Tel: +81 3 3555 7931 s-yamaguchi@olo.gr.jp www.olo.gr.jp

WWL says: Shuji Yamaguchi possesses long-standing experience in the aviation arena, with particular expertise in disputes and airway bill cases.

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Shusuke Fukunaga

Watson Farley & Williams sfukunaga@wfw.com

Eiko Grieger

K&L Gates Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise eiko.grieger@klgates.com

Kenichiro Hayashida Hayashida Sogo Law Offices kenichiro.hayashida@hayashidalaw.com

Hisao Hirose

Squire Patton Boggs - Squire Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo Horitsu Jimusho hisao.hirose@squirepb.com

Keisuke Imon

Watson Farley & Williams kimon@wfw.com

Tomohiko Kamimura

Squire Patton Boggs - Squire Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo Horitsu Jimusho tomohiko.kamimura@squirepb.com

Takahiro Kawaguchi

K&L Gates Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise takahiro.kawaguchi@klgates.com

Robert E Melson Jr

K&L Gates Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise robert.melson@klgates.com

Kentaro Miyagi Nishimura & Asahi k_miyagi@jurists.co.jp

Tsuguhito Omagari

K&L Gates Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise tsuguhito.omagari@klgates.com

Katsu Sengoku Nishimura & Asahi k_sengoku@jurists.co.jp

Kosuke Shibukawa Nishimura & Asahi k_shibukawa@jurists.co.jp

Hidehiko Suzuki

Sonderhoff & Einsel Law and Patent Office patent@se1910.com

Shuji Yamaguchi* Okabe & Yamaguchi s-yamaguchi@olo.gr.jp

TRANSPORT - Shipping

In this chapter, we recognise 14 practitioners who stand out for their market-leading work on transactional and conten tious matters across the shipping industry.

Most Highly Regarded

Makoto Hiratsuka Hiratsuka & Co Tokyo

Okabe & Yamaguchi distinguishes itself with four listings.

Shuji Yamaguchi is a key figure in the Japanese maritime market who is highly regarded for his “unique ability to provide advice in the fields of maritime insurance and international comparative law”.

Hiroki Okabe is a deeply knowledgeable shipping lawyer who is well renowned in the Japanese and international markets.

Takehiko Tozuka is highlighted by respondents as a key figure in the market with a command of a “wide range of maritime and insurance” issues.

Teruyuki Sago is well-established prac titioner and a go-to name when it comes to collisions and accidents at sea.

With over 40 years of experience, Makoto Hiratsuka at Hiratsuka & Co is singled out as an accomplished shipping lawyer with exper tise spanning commercial law and dispute resolution.

Masahiro Amemiya at Amemiya Law Office is a specialist in shipping law, covering conten tious and non-contentious matters in the sector.

Oki Hirata with SAH & CO is “famous” in the market for cargo side claims, along with domestic and international litigation and arbitration.

Akiyoshi Ikeyama from Abe & Sakata earns acclaim across the Japanese market for his “broad knowledge of the laws and regulations of the shipping world”.

At Yoshida and Partners, Sotaro Mori emerges as one of Japan’s foremost ship ping specialists, handling the full spectrum of shipping matters.

Biography

Shuji Yamaguchi Okabe & Yamaguchi

SHUJI YAMAGUCHI graduated from Kyoto University. He was qualified in 1982. He worked in Akagi Law Firm and Clyde & Co. UK. He established Okabe & Yamaguchi in 1990.

He is specialized in cargo claims, charterparty disputes, aviation claim, domestic transport claims, maritime insurance claims, litigations, arbitra tions and other maritime related cases. He is a regular speaker in several international confer ences, Inter Pacific Bar Association, International Union of Marine Insurance, Asian Maritime Law Conference, International Dispute Resolution Conference and Cargo Recovery Conference. He was the chair of the Maritime Law Committee of Inter-Pacific Bar Association from 2009 to 2011. He was a Counselor of Commercial Code (Transport and Maritime Law) for Ministry of Justice. He is a Counselor of Commercial Code (Bill of Lading) for Ministry of Justice.

He is a visiting professor of The Chuo Law School. He is a member of Maritime Law Association, International Private Law Association, Aviation Law Association and The Average Adjuster Association of Japan. He is a co- author and contrib utor of  “Judgment Commentary of Civil Code Vol.1 General Rules” (Seirin Shoin)”, “International Cargo Insurance” (Informa), “Maritime Law Handbook” (Kluwer), “Getting the Deal Through Shipping in 35 jurisdictions”, “Yoken Jijitsu Taikei Maritime Law” (Daiichi Hoki) , “New International Jurisdiction Law from practical points of view” (Shoji Homu), “ Rotterdam Rules in Asia Pacific Region” (Shoji Homu), “Handbook for International Multi-Modal Transport” (JIFFA),” Leading Cases in International Business (Yuhikaku),” “Leading Cases in International Private Law 3rd edition (Yuhikaku)” etc. He is an arbitrator of Tokyo Maritime Arbitration Commission and Japan Commercial Arbitration Association and Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration.

501, Eiha Shinkawa 5-17, Shinkawa 1-chome Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0033

Tel: +81 3 3555 7931 s-yamaguchi@olo.gr.jp www.olo.gr.jp

WWL says: Shuji Yamaguchi is a key figure in the Japanese maritime market who is highly regarded for his "unique ability to provide advice in the fields of maritime insurance and international comparative law".

DIRECTORY

An asterisk denotes practitioners who have profiles in the preceding pages.

Nominees have been selected based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practitioners worldwide.

Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Masahiro Amemiya

Amemiya Law Office amemiya@maritimelaw.jp

Oki Hirata SAH & CO hirata@sah.jp

Makoto Hiratsuka Hiratsuka & Co mak_hiratsuka@h-ps.co.jp

Akiyoshi Ikeyama Abe & Sakata akiyoshi.ikeyama@abesakata.com

Adrian Joyce Nishimura & Asahi a.joyce@nishimura.com

Sotaro Mori Yoshida and Partners smori@japanlaw.co.jp

Hiroki Okabe Okabe & Yamaguchi h-okabe@olo.gr.jp

Jumpei Osada TMI Associates josada@tmi.gr.jp

Teruyuki Sago Okabe & Yamaguchi te-sago@olo.gr.jp

Yutaka Sakai Atsumi & Sakai yutaka.sakai@aplaw.jp

Katsu Sengoku Nishimura & Asahi k_sengoku@jurists.co.jp

Takehiko Tozuka Okabe & Yamaguchi t-takehiko@olo.gr.jp

Yutaka Tsurusaki Tsurusaki & Kobayashi (T&K Partners) Law Offices tsurusaki@ytfklaw.com

Shuji Yamaguchi* Okabe & Yamaguchi s-yamaguchi@olo.gr.jp

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